Take a Free Tour of the National Theater This Weekend in Costa Rica

The National Theater of Costa Rica which was recently declared a National Symbol of Historic Architectural Heritage and Cultural Liberty will open its doors to national and foreign tourists this weekend to offer a unique tour of the theater, where visitors will get so see some rooms and areas of the building usually not accessible to the public.
This Saturday, May 12 and Sunday, May 13 from 10 a.m. and through 5 p.m. the public will be able to enter the theater, visit its gardens, take a close look at the different sculptures and appreciate how the floor of the main room is lifted through a mechanic system to be at the same level as the stage; the National Theater is one of few theater in the world to have this system which was designed by renown Italian engineer Cesare Saldini (1848-1922).
Lyrical live music, live statues and artists will be receiving visitors and offering them information on this magnificent architectural jewel.
One of the main attractions will be the recreation in a size of 3 x 7 meters of the allegory “Comercio y la Agricultura de Costa Rica” which will include the possibility for visitors to interact with the painting and take photos with some of the characters that will be brought to life by professional actors.
In January 2014, the USA Today declared the allegory “Comercio y la Agricultura de Costa Rica” (Commerce and Agriculture of Costa Rica) located in the National Theater as one of 10 most beautiful murals in the world. This work of art of created by muralist Aleardo Villa in 1897, and it was used to illustrate the five colones bill back when it circulated between 1968 and 1992.
​The entrance is free but tours will be offered in small groups as people arrive.
The theater, which celebrated 120 years last October is filled with impressive paintings, among them Alegoría de las Artes (The Arts Allegory) by Roberto Fontana and valued in over US$1 million; 17 sculptures such as Triunfo de la música (The Triumph of Music), popularly known as “La Fama”; lamps, furniture, theater stage curtains, original beautiful decorations, and in total 600 works of art of great historic value. Statues of the 17th century Spanish playwright Pedro Calderón de la Barca and famous German composer Ludwig van Beethoven are featured in the theater’s façade.

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