Attractions and Places To See in San Antonio - Top 9

In this small park there is a monument to Juan Santamaría, a Costa Rican national hero. Through his self-sacrifice the army was able to win the Second Battle of Rivas and preserve the country's independence.

Good place for a rest in the shade...

Sculpture called Creation dedicated to "Cacique Barvak" by the sculptor Fabio Brenes,

The San Bartolomé Apóstol Parish,[1] is a Catholic church in the district of Barva in the canton of Barva, Heredia, Costa Rica. The first church was established between 1568 and 1575, an adobe construction with a thatched roof, and was dedicated to San Bartolomé Apóstol; It is rumored to have been built over an Indian burial ground, as numerous Native American-made objects have been removed.

Tribute to Chief Barvac. Chief Barvac, also known as Barvak, was an important indigenous leader in the region we now know as Costa Rica. His name is believed to mean "People of the Anteater" in the ancient Huetar language. Chief Barvac's name has transcended time and generations, and is currently used to name important places in Costa Rica, including a volcano and a canton.

The Parroquia San Bartolomé Apóstol (Parish of Saint Bartholomew the Apostle), is a church in Barva, Heredia, Costa Rica. The first church was established between 1568 and 1575, and dedicated to Saint Bartholomew; it is rumored to have been built on an indigenous burial ground.

Juan Santamaría Park, in Alajuela, is recognized for housing the sculptural complex in honor of the national hero from Alajuela. It is a surprisingly realistic bronze sculpture that captures the moment in which the soldier, carrying a torch aloft, prepares to set fire to the war inn, where the enemy remained entrenched. The figure stands on a raised pedestal and is flanked by cannons. Chiselled in 1891 by the French sculptor Arístide Croisy, it is a song in defense of the freedom and independence of the homeland. In the two adjacent bas-reliefs, signed by Gustave Deloy, a narrative style is used to tell the story of the hero in episodes.

The first church in Heredia was a small wooden construct built as early as 1704 in an attempt to convert the natives; nothing remains of the original building, which was replaced by a larger, more permanent adobe structure in July 1736 when Heredia was granted its own independent parish. Construction on the current building began towards the end of the colonial period. The cornerstone was laid on October 31, 1797, but the church was not completed until several years later; though the exact date is unknown, it is believed to have been completed in 1806. The façade was again reconstructed in 1851 when an earthquake brought it tumbling to the ground. Over the years, a baptistry and catechism school were added, while the church gardens were enlarged. The temple exhibits a simple, whitewashed, Spanish neoclassical exterior, while the relatively unadorned interior shows the humility and faith of the people who constructed it. On the front of the church, three niches once contained statues of saints created by the famous Heredian soldier, architect, and sculptor Fadrique Gutiérrez; today, only the central statue of St. Peter remains. The 20 stained glass windows which adorn the church were made in France.