Ujarrás
Encyclopedia
Ujarrás is a village and historical site in the Orosí Valley of Cartago Province
in central Costa Rica, southeast of the provincial capital of Cartago
. It lies near the northeastern bank of the man-made Lake Cachí
, created by the damming of the Reventazon River
. The dam lies adjacent to the village. The village is connected to Cachí
, on the other side of the lake.
, on the banks of the Cachí Reservoir. The valley of Orosi, which is crisscrossed by many rivers and streams, has coffee and flower plantations. The other landmarks near the town, apart from one of the oldest churches in Costa Rica, are the Cachí Dam, the Tapantí National Park
(part of La Amistad WHS) and Lankester botanical gardens.
Local legend has it that a painting of the Virgin was found in a box by native Huetar Indian fishermen who brought it to the village, and a church was thus built on this site by the locals to commemorate the Virgin. Another version of this tradition is that an Indian fisherman found a box containing the image of the Virgin Mary and the Spanish Colonial church named Nuestra Senora de la Limpia Concepcion was thus built around that image as it could not be moved elsewhere. Initially a hermitage made of straw was built and indigenous people called the image Virgin Mary as "The Queen of the Valleys". It was built between 1575 and 1580. Over the years the image attained fame due to many miracles that it is said to have performed for the villagers. It is also said that when the English pirate Henry Morgan
attacked the village in 1666, the Virgin Mary came to their rescue to repulse the attack. However, in 1833 the village was also subject to a devastating flood which led to the government passing a decree to move the village to a safer place.
The town was located in one of the poorest regions of the Spanish empire, which lacked economic resources to sustain its population. The climate of the place was also adverse and diseases played havoc with the local population. Furthermore, the buildings constructed with fragile local material could not withstand earthquakes. Considering the magnitude of the health problem and floods faced by the people in 1833, the then Constitutional Assembly of the Commonwealth of Costa Rica decreed that the people move and establish a new township. People then abandoned Ujarrás between the latter years of the 18th century and the early years of the 19th and established the township of Paraíso near the Llanos de Santa Lucía. They expected that the new township would be more suitable in terms of the health and comfort of its residents. However, the ruined church stands as witness to the past history of the town. However, moving to a new location did not improve the health conditions or the demography or educational standards of the town's people. It has been conjectured that economic rather than health dictated the move. Recent studies by the priest and historian Manuel Benavides
, however, have suggested that the move was due to political reasons.
The indigenous population of Ujarrás, mainly mestizo
s, became extinct in the early 18th century. The famous priest Florencio del Castillo
, who was President of the Courts of Cádiz was born here. Thanks to his efforts, Ujarrás villa was erected in 1813.
Every year an annual mass is held on the Sunday closest to April 14 to celebrate the feast of La Virgen de Ujarrás.
. However, a review of the site mentions that "While it definitively does not have probably an OUV for itself, combined with other colonial monuments and/or Orosi valley, it compares to other sites already in the list."
Ujarrás (brand)
, is also a brand name in Costa Rica of jellies and other products, established in 1962.
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 central Costa Rica, southeast of the provincial capital of Cartago
Cartago, Costa Rica
- See also :* Cartago Agrarian Union Party* Provincial Integration Party Three* Cartago in Spanish...
. It lies near the northeastern bank of the man-made Lake Cachí
Lake Cachí
Lake Cachi is an artificial lake in central Costa Rica created by the Cachí Dam , an arch dam which is located in Tapantí National Park, to the southeast of Cartago in Cartago Province. The main town is Cachí, located away from the east bank of the lake. Built in the 1970s, it was one of the...
, created by the damming of the Reventazon 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...
. The dam lies adjacent to the village. The village is connected to Cachí
Cachí, Costa Rica
Cachí is a small town in the Orosí Valley of Cartago Province, central Costa Rica, southeast of the provincial capital of Cartago. It lies near the eastern bank of the man-made Lake Cachí, created by the damming of the Reventazon River which before the 1970s flowed past the town...
, on the other side of the lake.
Geography
Ujarrás is located in a deep valley northeast of the town of OrosiOrosi
- Geography :* Orosí, Costa Rica* Orosí Volcano in Costa Rica* Orosi, California in the USA...
, on the banks of the Cachí Reservoir. The valley of Orosi, which is crisscrossed by many rivers and streams, has coffee and flower plantations. The other landmarks near the town, apart from one of the oldest churches in Costa Rica, are the Cachí Dam, the Tapantí National Park
Tapantí National Park
Tapantí National Park, sometimes called Orosí National Park, is a National Park in the Pacific La Amistad Conservation Area of Costa Rica located on the edge of the Talamanca Range, near Cartago. It protects forests to the north of Chirripó National Park, and also contains part of the Orosí River...
(part of La Amistad WHS) and Lankester botanical gardens.
History
Ujarrás contains the ruins of one of the oldest churches in Costa Rica, Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Limpia Concepción, which was built in the 1580s during early colonial times.Local legend has it that a painting of the Virgin was found in a box by native Huetar Indian fishermen who brought it to the village, and a church was thus built on this site by the locals to commemorate the Virgin. Another version of this tradition is that an Indian fisherman found a box containing the image of the Virgin Mary and the Spanish Colonial church named Nuestra Senora de la Limpia Concepcion was thus built around that image as it could not be moved elsewhere. Initially a hermitage made of straw was built and indigenous people called the image Virgin Mary as "The Queen of the Valleys". It was built between 1575 and 1580. Over the years the image attained fame due to many miracles that it is said to have performed for the villagers. It is also said that when the English pirate Henry Morgan
Henry Morgan
Admiral Sir Henry Morgan was an Admiral of the Royal Navy, a privateer, and a pirate who made a name for himself during activities in the Caribbean, primarily raiding Spanish settlements...
attacked the village in 1666, the Virgin Mary came to their rescue to repulse the attack. However, in 1833 the village was also subject to a devastating flood which led to the government passing a decree to move the village to a safer place.
The town was located in one of the poorest regions of the Spanish empire, which lacked economic resources to sustain its population. The climate of the place was also adverse and diseases played havoc with the local population. Furthermore, the buildings constructed with fragile local material could not withstand earthquakes. Considering the magnitude of the health problem and floods faced by the people in 1833, the then Constitutional Assembly of the Commonwealth of Costa Rica decreed that the people move and establish a new township. People then abandoned Ujarrás between the latter years of the 18th century and the early years of the 19th and established the township of Paraíso near the Llanos de Santa Lucía. They expected that the new township would be more suitable in terms of the health and comfort of its residents. However, the ruined church stands as witness to the past history of the town. However, moving to a new location did not improve the health conditions or the demography or educational standards of the town's people. It has been conjectured that economic rather than health dictated the move. Recent studies by the priest and historian Manuel Benavides
Manuel Benavides
Manuel Benavides is a small town and seat of the municipality of Manuel Benavides, in the northern Mexican state of Chihuahua. As of 2005, the town had a total population of 877....
, however, have suggested that the move was due to political reasons.
The indigenous population of Ujarrás, mainly mestizo
Mestizo
Mestizo is a term traditionally used in Latin America, Philippines and Spain for people of mixed European and Native American heritage or descent...
s, became extinct in the early 18th century. The famous priest Florencio del Castillo
Florencio del Castillo
Florencio del Castillo was a Costa Rican cleric and politician.-Early Life:Florencio del Castillo was born in Ujarrás, Costa Rica, near the colonial capital of Cartago, on October 17, 1778. He was the third child of Cecilia del Castillo Villagra , widow of the Frenchman François Lafons...
, who was President of the Courts of Cádiz was born here. Thanks to his efforts, Ujarrás villa was erected in 1813.
Every year an annual mass is held on the Sunday closest to April 14 to celebrate the feast of La Virgen de Ujarrás.
Church restoration
The church in Ujarrás has since been restored. The church was built with limestone in a construction method known as calicanto (stone masonry). The facades, the altar and other parts of the church are now restored. The Virgin of the Holy Conception of Ujarras, Saint Patron of the Colony, was originally installed in the church. However, this image was shifted to the new township to the Sanctuary of Paradise. The image has nice features of face and hands and is well preserved. A religious procession of this statue of the Saint Patron is held every year at Paraíso on the 16th April and it is a pilgrimage to most Costa Ricans to recount their past history and to express their reverence to the Virgin Mary.Heritage status
The Costa Rican government recognizes the church today as a National Monument. The heritage site, which was submitted for inclusion in the World Heritage List in 1980 is now not part of the current Tentative List of Heritage Sites maintained by UNESCOUNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
. However, a review of the site mentions that "While it definitively does not have probably an OUV for itself, combined with other colonial monuments and/or Orosi valley, it compares to other sites already in the list."
Ujarrás (brand)
Ujarrás (brand)
Ujarrás is a Costa Rican brand of jellies and related products. The company was established in January 1962 by Manuel Rodríguez Rojas and is named after the village of Ujarrás. They produce products such as marmalade, blackberry, guava and stawberry jam and products such as fruit paste, crackers...
, is also a brand name in Costa Rica of jellies and other products, established in 1962.