Cartago is a city in Costa Rica, about 25 km (15 miles) east of the capital, San Jose. It is at an elevation of about 1435 m (some 4930 ft) above sea level on the Cartago River, at the base of the Irazu volcano. Cartago is the capital of Cartago province. In 2003 the city had a population of 141,524 people.
Cartago was founded in 1563 by Spanish conquistador Juan Vasquez de Coronado, and was the first permanent Spanish settlement in Costa Rica. It served as the capital of Costa Rica until 1823, when the first elected head of state, Juan Mora Fernandez, moved the capital to what was then the small village of San Jose because Cartago wanted to unite the newly independent province of Costa Rica to the colony of Mexico while the rest of the population wanted to form a republic.
Irazu Volcano
In 1723, a volcanic eruption from the Irazu volcano destroyed Cartago. The city was severely damaged by major earthquakes in 1822, 1841 and 1910. In 1963, another volcanic eruption badly damaged the city, and covered San Jose and almost all of the city's crops in ash.
Many pilgrims come to Cartago annually, to visit the city's principal church, the enormous Basilica de Nuestra Señora de Los Angeles, on the feast day of the Virgin of the Angels (August 2). The church has a statue of the Black Madonna known as La Negrita, who supposedly had great healing powers. The sick come to her statue in hope of a miracle from La Negrita.
According to folklore in Costa Rica, La Negrita appeared to a young native girl in 1635. The rock where La Negrita made her alleged appearance is kept in a backroom in the basilica and is revered as a sacred relic and object of inspiration. The rock is supposed to be in the same location it was when La Negrita originally appeared, but it has been moved as the basilica was rebuilt (see below). It is common for pilgrims to touch the rock in reverence.
Cartago Ruins
The central park in Cartago includes the ruins of an earlier basilica. The earlier basilica was destroyed several times by earthquakes, the last time in 1910. As a result, the rebuilding of the basilica in the same location was abandoned and the new basilica was built to replace the old one several blocks away.
The main products of the region are potatoes, onions, milk, and orchids. These used to support more than 90% of the city's economy although other resources such as computer technologies have risen since the last decade.
The province is known for its rich ecological diversity and dense tropical rainforests along the mountain ranges near the Irazu and Turrialba volcanoes.
Cartago is home of the Costa Rica Institute of Technology, one of the most prestigious higher education institutions in the country and one of Central America's most important engineering schools.
Geographical Division 
