Orosí
Encyclopedia
Cartago Province
Cartago is a province of Costa Rica. It is located in the central part of the country. Bordering provinces are Limón to the east and San José to the west. The capital is Cartago and it was formerly the capital city of Costa Rica until 1823 when the capital was changed to San Jose...
in Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
, about 35 kilometers south of the capital San José
San José, Costa Rica
San José is the capital and largest city of Costa Rica. Located in the Central Valley, San José is the seat of national government, the focal point of political and economic activity, and the major transportation hub of this Central American nation.Founded in 1738 by order of Cabildo de León, San...
. Orosi is situated on the Reventazón River
Reventazón River
The Reventazón River or Rio Reventazón, is a river in Costa Rica which forms part of the Reventazón-Parismina drainage basin, it is 145 km long and flows into the Caribbean sea. It rises in Meseta Central and flows through the Orosí, Reventazón and Turrialba Valleys...
in the Orosi Valley. The cultivation of coffee
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
is the leading industry in the area. Orosi has a population of approximately 4,600 and has the oldest Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
church still in use in Costa Rica. The church, Iglesia de San Jose de Orosi, was built in 1743 during the Colony.
Orosi is a very well known valley in Costa Rica because of its beautiful coffee
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
plantations and also because of its Hot Springs, one of the most famous of these private farms is Chucaras Hotsprings Estate, where tourists can learn about coffee production and enjoy its Hot Springs swimming pools.
With it's rain forests, volcanoes, hills and valleys lined with rows upon rows of coffee plants and sugar cane, the Orosi region offers some of the richest scenery to be found in Costa Rica. But the region is also rich in history and contains a number of monuments to the past, including a colonial capital founded in 1563 and archeological excavations that date back to 1000 B.C. Although this area was one of the first in the country to be settled, it has been one of the last to be developed for tourism, which makes it all the more desireable as a destination.There are several nice hotels in the area for every budget; the Lonely Planet lists the Orosi Lodge as "our pick".
A few kilometers away, at the southern end of the valley, the road ends and the Parque Nacional Tapantí Macizo Cerro de la Muerte begins. This park covers about 600 km² and forms the northernmost section of a massive collection of nature parks that extends into Panamá
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
(the largest of which is the Parque Internacional La Amistad). As a result, wildlife abounds. However, access is difficult and largely restricted apart from a few kilometers of easy trails. The abundance of birds makes it a popular place for ornithology
Ornithology
Ornithology is a branch of zoology that concerns the study of birds. Several aspects of ornithology differ from related disciplines, due partly to the high visibility and the aesthetic appeal of birds...
studies. Part of the reason for the abundant growth is the heavy rainfall, which ranges up to 7000 mm in the mountains. Lago de Cachi lies to the northeast.
