Grecia, Costa Rica

Grecia (Spanish: meaning "Greece") is the capital city of the canton of Grecia in the province of Alajuela in Costa Rica. It is also the name of the distrito (Spanish, meaning "district") that includes the city. The district of Grecia covers an area of 6.86 km², and has a population of 15,457.

The city lies at an elevation of 999 meters above sea level in the foothills of the Cordillera Central on the eastern edge of the Central Valley. The city, which was once named "the cleanest city in Latin America," is 20 kilometers northwest of the provincial capital city of Alajuela, 27 kilometers from Juan Santamaría International Airport, and 45 kilometers from the national capital city of San José.

Iglesia de la Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes

Grecia is noted for its unique church, Iglesia de la Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes, made entirely of pre-fabricated steel plates painted red. There are several urban legends about this church. One recounts how the church was donated by some foreign country, and sent to Greece as a gift, but was wrongly shipped to Grecia, Costa Rica. Another legend states that the final destination of the church was the city of Punta Arenas in Chile but was disembarked, by mistake, in the port of Puntarenas, Costa Rica and later sent to the city of Grecia where it was assembled.

Grecia

Grecia may refer to

See also

Grecia (canton)

Grecia is the name of the third canton in the province of Alajuela in Costa Rica. The canton covers an area of 395.72 square kilometres (152.79 sq mi), and has a population of 85,087. The capital city of the canton is also called Grecia.

Geography

The canton lies among ridges and valleys on the southwestern slope of Poas Volcano. One area is completely separated from the remainder of the canton by the Cordillera Central (Central Mountain Range). Known as Río Cuarto, this area lies on the Caribbean Plain, and is intended to form its own canton at some unspecified future date.

The Río Poás and the Río Prendes establish a large portion of the eastern border of the elongated canton, with the Río Sarchí serving the same purpose on its western edge. The Río Grande is the southern border.

Districts

The canton of Grecia is subdivided into eight districts (distritos):

History

Grecia was first mentioned as a canton in a decree dated July 27, 1867.