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 Basilica de Nuestra Señora de Los Ángeles. 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.

When Vásquez de Coronado first explored the eastern end of the Central Valley he found an area populated by numerous indigenous groups, and thus the Spaniards set about the mission of christianizing the native peoples. The first church built in Costa Rica was constructed during the 1560's in the Valley of Ujarrás near the Reventazón River. The settlement was eventually abandoned, however, due to recurring floods and episodes of pestilence. The ruins of the church are still visible on the site and have been declared a national monument.

There are a lot of buses to Cartago from San Jose(several per hour). Price is ¢ 95. It is possible to hold a bus on Avenida 2.