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Bustling central Plaza de la Cultura is San Jose’s cultural and commercial hub. The National Tourist Office and Grand Hotel are both nearby, Banco Central’s Gold Museum is adjacent to the tourist office. The museum is modern and well lit, and contains the largest collection of pre-Columbian gold jewelry in Central America. Detailed diagrams explain the function of each item. There’s also a small sculpture museum, and a coin museum for numismatists.
Ticos are proud of their Teatro Nacional (National Theater), which is easily Costa Rica’s most enchanting colonial building. Facing Plaza de la Cultura, the sandstone exterior is enhanced with statues of Beethoven and 17th century Spanish playwright Calderon de la Barca. Carara marble columns fitted with bronze capitals and Italianate arched windows prepare visitors for the ornate frescoes showing coffee and banana production that adorns the main entry. The theatre opened in 1897 with a performance of Gounod’s “Faust”. The interior is rich baroque. Teatro Nacional was renovated and reopened after bearing some damage in a 1991 earthquake.
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