Alajuela - City of Costa Rica

Alajuela is the capital city of the province of Alajuela in Costa Rica. It is also the name of the district that includes the city. Alajuela serves as the capital for the canton of Alajuela, an area much larger than the district. It is the birthplace of Juan Santamaría, the national hero of Costa Rica. It hubs the Juan Santamaría International Airport, the main airport serving Costa Rica which is located 3 kilometers south of the city.

In the pre-Columbian epoch the territory that today corresponds to the Canton of Alajuela was a part of the so-called Kingdom Huetar of Occident, which was inhabited by natives, who to the beginnings of the conquest were obedient of the Chief Grabito.

After increases the population of five existing quarters then: Targuaz, Puás, Ciruelas, La Lajuela and Rio Grande, the citizens faced difficulties to expire with they religious obligations, so they request the Bishop of Nicaragua and Costa Rica, Monsignor don Esteban Lorenzo de Tristán, permission to erect a parish and a public oratory.

In accordance with The Constitution promulgated in the Spanish Parliament of Cadiz , the first Town hall of Alajuela started working in 1813. On December 18 of the same year, the quarter La Lajuela obtained the title of Town and it was called a Villa Hermosa, then it was called a Saint Juan Nepomuceno de Alajuela and finally the title of city was granted to it, on November 20, 1824 preserving the name of Alajuela until our days.

Alajuela is also the hometown of one of the most popular soccer teams of the country, Liga Deportiva Alajuelense soccer club.