Artesan Market and National Theater Tour

Well, looks like my plans fell through again. This weekend, the weekend of February 22nd, I was supposed to go to Guanacaste to see the turtles, but the trip got cancelled at the last minute. I tried to make plans to go somewhere else but it turns out that hostels really do get booked quickly. So, what did I do? I found friends and we went exploring in San Jose to all the places we haven`t had time to see but really wanted to.

First, we stopped by the artisan market. This is a large marketplace with many, many vendors with Costa Rican souvenirs of all shapes and sizes. They had colorful purses, jewelry, mugs, and hammocks among other things. One of my friends was able to get her sisters some nice purses there.

Then, we walked to the National Theater. We decided to go for a tour and learn about the history of the Theater and see the inside. What an experience! It is such a grand place; I really don`t know where to begin.

From the outside, it is a grand but bleak building. The most exciting thing about the Theater from the outside is its` steeple and the three statues it has on its roof. What is amazing, though, is that the building cost $ 3,000,000 to build due to the extensive artwork and gold leaves on the inside as well as marble structures. It also has a rich history to rival its' interior decorations.



 

 The Steeple of the National Theater

The National Theater was built over a 6 year period and opened on October 21, 1897 at the request of the coffee planation owners. There was a famous opera singer Adelina Patti who refused to perform in Costa Rica because she didn't have a "suitable" place to perform, although she was one of many famous artists who refused to perform in Costa Rica for the same reason. The plantation owners said that an additional tax on their product could be implemented to pay for this new theater. As the budget for the theater grew past the original projected budget, general Costa Rican taxes began to be implemented to help pay for it. A fun fact is that Adelina Patti supposedly wanted to perform at the National Theater because it was so beautiful, but was told that she couldn't perform there by the Costa Ricans.

So, walking in, the first thing you notice is the richly decorated walls, lavish with gold leafing. There are also a number of statues and a variety of paintings that were imported from Europe. There are no fresco paintings there, only canvas. The most famous painting is displayed on the ceiling of the main entranceway just before entering the theater. This painting is displayed on their 5 colon bill (which is now just a souvenir, no longer in circulation). It shows their history and popular exports, although from a European perspective. The man holding the bananas? They were upside down and would usually be held over the shoulder in real life because they are too heavy. The style of dress? European as well. Still, it is a Costa Rican gem.

Right inside the Theater: One represents Comedy and the other Tragedy

Beautiful Interior

 

 Famous painting on the 5 colon bill

I loved all of the beautiful artwork, sculptures, and architecture. There was signs of the Free Masons in the reception room such as their eye and a face. That reception room also holds the coat of arms of each of the 7 provinces plus of Costa Rica.

Large canvas painting on ceiling of reception room. (1 of 3)

The inside of the Reception Room. This statue used to be on the steeple in the middle. They now have replicas on the outside to prevent the originals from getting destroyed.

Coat of Arms from, I believe, Limon. Complete with Free Mason's mark on top. 

Yet another photo of the magnificent Reception Room.

What really fascinated me, though, was their main performance hall. There is a presidential box for their president. The security for their president is no where near as strict as the security we have for our President. People who come to the theater when she is there can meet with her in the hallway and take a picture with her; no background check needed. Also, the stage is elevated above the main floor of the auditorium, but back in the day, the floor was moved up to the same level as the stage for dances. Now, they only move the floor for extremely special occasions, such as a new president or visiting president from another country.

Main Performance Hall

I decided to come back on a Thursday to view a concert that they held in the evenings in the reception room since the main stage is under renovations, to open the week after I leave to return to the US. Hopefully I can come back to Costa Rica to view one of their performances on the main stage.