Heredia Shines With New Cultural Center

Downtown Heredia shines with a brand-new cultural center that was formally inaugurated last night. In a ceremony that lauded Herediano President Oscar Arias’s achievements during his soon-to-end administration, local and national politicians officially showed off a gorgeous new addition to the Ciudad de las Flores. This 2,300-square-meter (around 25,000 square foot) cultural center underwent a spectacular renovation to transform the old Escuela República Argentina (where Arias went to school) into the Centro Cultural Omar Dengo.

Heredia showed off spaces for temporary exhibitions, workshops, an outdoor amphitheater, cafeteria and more. A massive restoration project that began just months ago.

This provincial capital, just 12 kilometers from San Jose, now has a nearly three-block stretch of historic buildings on the north side of the Parque Central, including the Correos, Palacio Municipal and El Fortín. As an aficionado of urban places, I am especially pleased to see the transformation taking place in downtown Heredia. I only wish that municipal officials would take greater care when considering the visual-architectural landscape of their cities.

The new cultural center did not skimp on finishes. Modern lighting, a calming color palette and a breezy, covered central patio make the 122-year-old structure a beautiful blend of old and new styles.