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Costa Rica Hotels: Hotels Arenal
Hotels Costa Rica: Northern Zone: Hotels Arenal - La Fortuna Costa Rica

Liberia, Northern Zone Costa Rica

Welcome to Liberia, the capital of Guanacaste Province and a transportation center of northwestern Costa Rica with its international airport, car rental agencies and hub for Costa Rica bus transportation. Liberia is also a center for shopping, restaurants, government and utility offices, realtors and building materials. But Liberia also offers historical and cultural attractions that commemorates its past.

Celebrate the “Annexation of Guanacaste to Costa Rica” on July 25 by attending Costa Rica's Event "Expo Liberia". The Costa Rica event Expo will run from July 21 through July 30 and will feature folk dances, concerts, parades, cattle shows, and bull riding. It is an excellent opportunity for tourists to see and purchase a wide variety of Costa Rican and Nicaraguan handmade products. Also, you may wish to try some of the delicious local Costa Rica foods available at the Expo. See the colorful costumes of Guanacaste dancers and listen to typical music of the area.

While in Liberia take the opportunity to experience some of Costa Rica’s rich pre-Colombian heritage by visiting the archeological collection of Daniel Oduber Quiros in the Comandancia building (Police Station).

The Comandancia is easily identified by the several large stone spheres and other stone sculptures on the southwest corner of the building . The museum houses only part of a large collection of artifacts dating from 500 B.C. to 1500 A.D.. At this time, only three rooms of the building house the collection but plans call for converting the entire Comandancia to a museum.

View pictures of the archeological sites from Montesele, Bagaces, Nicoya, South Pacific and Central Caribbean areas; see beautiful examples of the ceramics and stone sculptures recovered. Many artifacts represent the cultures of Guanacaste with objects reflecting magical or religious beliefs and persons of high social status like the shaman, the intermediary between humans and the supernatural.

Figures shown as part human, part animal represent spiritual protectors. The animal figures are often jaguars, other felines, reptiles, crocodiles, or Costa Rica birds. There are several sculptures of a person wearing a mask of an animal, usually a jaguar or bird. One interesting sculpture, dating to 900-1500 A.D., is that of a warrior carrying the head of an enemy. Observe a round table of stone, bordered by figures of jaguars, used for special rituals and ceremonies.

There are many opportunities in Liberia to learn about Costa Rica’s past and you can begin by visiting this small but impressive museum. Visitors are welcomed Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. - noon and 1 - 4 p.m., closed on national holidays.