Witness, character and history symbol

At the end of the XIX century, San José expanded itself to the East.  New buildings appeared there, such as the Atlantic Train Station, the Main Custom House, Sión High School and the National Park.  The first Costa Rican bourgeoisie neighborhood, Barrio Amón, was built to the northeast.

 In the other hand, the current ground where the National Museum is located was destined to coffee plantations, in the middle of the XIX century.  This was the highest point in Cuesta de Moras, which offered a beautiful view of San José.  That’s why it gets its name: “Buena Vista” or “Bella Vista”.

In 1877, Mauro Fernández, the Costa Rican education reformist bought his home, his house, his chatting and social life place, right on the northwest part of the current museum building.

Very little remains from Mauro’s home.  It is still possible to see the arch on the house’s entrance and part of the contention wall from the north side of the building, which is still standing even after the barrack was built.

The army in Costa Rica

We cannot understand the history behind the Bella Vista Barrack without going back to the Costa Rican army history, which was the main character in several politic violence events and kept our country from dictators and constant civil wars.

In 1920, shortly after the Bella Vista Barrack building started, the smear eroded the institution.  The abuse from Tinoco and the loss in the war against Panama were the cause of such events.  The repressive functions on the people were taken by the police and the defense of the national territory landed under the United Stated control.

The decision of abolishing the army was a key factor in settling a base for civil system.  On December 1st, 1948, José Figueres Ferrer lead the symbolic act of abolishing the army in the Bella Vista Barrack.  The building was given to the National Museum.  The abolishing was effective in 1949 after the “Cardonazo”, an attempt of coup against the Government Board, encouraged by Edgar Cardona, Minister of Security.

The abolishing of the army has also a base in the interest of the Government Board in creating a trust and stability environment for the country and to break the relationship with the Caribbean Legion, which wasn’t pleasant for the United States.

Birth and life of Bella Vista

The barrack building began in 1917.  It was related to the strengthening of the military institution given by Federico Tinoco Granados, First Minister of War and Navy during the government of Alfredo Gonzáles Flores.  He became President after he overthrew him in 1917.

The barrack’s building work was sped up because it was rose from exterior walls and from towers.  The east section, the bottom south section and the north section were also built.  The northeast section kept the structure from Mauro’s house.

In 1919, Tinoco was overthrown because of the social unhappiness originated with the military repression, the economic situation of the country and the unknown regime from United States.

This led to the cessation of the barrack building in 1923.  The work was retaken in 1928 when most of Mauro’s house was torn apart.  The west and south section were finished by then.

The Bella Vista Barrack, the most important in San José, was a storehouse for weapons and it was used to instruct the recruits on military, techniques, weapon handling and discipline and morals.

The building was distributed like this when it was used by the army:

• North: daily use weapons.
• Northeast: two houses for the first and second commander.
• East: troops’ rooms.
• South: downstairs, kitchen, dungeons, restrooms; upstairs, bedrooms for the minor officers.
• Southwest: shooting range.
• West: main offices, command offices, officers’ rooms and tailor shop.

The central patio had an area used for exercising.  On the north of this area, there was a garden and a sink for washing the laundry.  There were many tunnels under the building which were sealed.  It has been impossible to find their exact location. The main towers were demolished before the building went to the museum.  They were used to dominate the city in a military way.

In 1950, when the museum took the building, the spaces were organized for the exhibition rooms, some inner wall were eliminated, the materials on the flooring and ceiling were changed and the building took a colonial look, which still prevails today.

For more information on the Bella Vista Barrack, e-mail us to:
historia@museocostarica.com

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Every image is a 360° animation of the inner patio in the National Museum.