Stone walls
Roofless.
Daniel32708 - Daniel Vargas — CC BY-SA 3.0 · kajikawa — CC BY 3.0 · kajikawa — CC BY 3.0 · kajikawa — CC BY 3.0
Huge roofless grey stone walls in the heart of Cartago, Costa Rica's colonial capital until 1823, the remains of the parish church built and brought down by earthquakes several times since the sixteenth century; the last attempt to rebuild it stopped after the devastating 1910 earthquake, leaving ruins that were never finished. Today the ruins enclose a quiet garden inside the tall walls and empty stone arches: paved paths, colourful flowerbeds, a small fountain and shady trees, with the open sky as the roof. Cultural events are sometimes held here. The ruins tell Cartago's story with earthquakes, as the city was destroyed more than once, so its streets mix old and new buildings. A few streets away stands a large white cathedral that pilgrims visit from all over the country. The visit is short, so combine it with nearby Irazú volcano or the Orosi Valley. The city is fairly safe by day.
Roofless.
Inside the ruins.
A quake-tested city.
Central Cartago, about 45 minutes from San José
Earthquakes destroyed it several times, and the last rebuilding stopped after the 1910 quake, leaving ruins and a garden.