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CARTAGO - COSTA RICA
Cartago is a city in Costa Rica, about 25 km (15
miles) east of the capital, San José. It is at an elevation of about 1435 m
(some 4930 ft) above sea level on the Cartago River, at the base of the
Irazú volcano. Cartago is the capital of Cartago province. In 2003 the city
had a population of 141,524 people.
History
Cartago was founded in 1563 by Spanish conquistador Juan Vásquez de
Coronado, and was the first permanent Spanish settlement in Costa Rica. It
served as the capital of Costa Rica until 1823, when the first elected head
of state, Juan Mora Fernández, moved the capital to what was then the small
village of San José.
In 1723, a volcanic eruption destroyed
Cartago. The city was severely damaged by major earthquakes in 1822, 1841
and 1910. In 1963, another volcanic eruption badly damaged the city, and
covered San José in ash.
Many pilgrims come to Cartago annually, to visit the city's principal
church, the enormous Basillica de Nuesta Senora de Los Angeles. The church
has a statue of the Black Madonna known as La Negrita, who supposedly had
great healing powers. The sick come to her statue in hope of a miracle from
La Negrita.
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