What playhouse has a Baroque style theater, gold overlay and Carrara marble? It also boasts fine Italian artistry, Greek statues and a strong French influence. Would you believe me if I told you it was in Costa Rica?
Holding court in the bustling capital city of San Jose, this treasure is a point of national pride for its citizens. The National Theater (Teatro Nacional) was completed in 1897 and fully funded by the Costa Rican people. One of the first buildings to have electricity in Central America it was built with a still operational rising theater floor.
Installed on the roof, Italian sculptor Pietro Bulgrelli’s three statues symbolizing Dance, Music and Fame were in danger of damage during the 1991 earthquake. Replicas now reside on the roof while the originals are located safely inside.
The Allegory of Coffee and Banana mural that adorns the ceiling above the marbled grand staircases was listed as one of the ten greatest ceiling by USA Today. But the Italian artist, who never visited Costa Rica, got several things wrong from showing coffee growing near the coast to holding banana bunches upside down.
The upstairs front parlor is reminiscent of Versailles’s Hall of Mirrors. Powder blue with gold accents, it is adorned with plush velvet furniture and and a mosaic parquet floor composed of ten local hardwoods.
Everywhere you look there are exquisite details, lovingly maintained and honored.
If you’re traveling through San Jose on your way to the sandy beaches or volcanos, take a few hours to visit this remarkable building.
Photo Credits:
Jennifer Blair
Paul Pawlicki (last two photos)
Teatro Nacional de Costa Rica
Avenida Segunda Entre Calles 3 y 5
San Jose, Costa Rica
$10 admission
Check times for English language tours