Where It's Located
The San José Costa Rica Temple is located at Del Hotel Marriott 1.2 km al Oeste, La Ribera, 40702 Belén, Heredia, Costa Rica. Although it is commonly called the San José Costa Rica Temple, the temple is technically located in Belén in Heredia Province, just northwest of San José.
The temple occupies a relatively compact 1.93-acre (0.8-hectare) property at an elevation of approximately 3,108 feet (947 meters) above sea level.
Getting There
International travelers will generally fly into Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO), Costa Rica's primary international airport serving the San José metropolitan area.
The temple's location in Belén makes it particularly convenient for travelers arriving at SJO. Belén is also home to numerous hotels and businesses, making it a practical place to stay when visiting the temple.
Costa Rica itself is an excellent destination for combining a temple visit with outdoor adventures. Rain forests, volcanoes, beaches, waterfalls, and national parks are all within reach of the San José metropolitan area.
A Bit of History
The San José Costa Rica Temple was announced on March 17, 1999, by the First Presidency. It became the first temple in Costa Rica and only the second temple in Central America, following the Guatemala City Guatemala Temple, which was dedicated in 1984.
The announcement was particularly significant for Costa Rican Latter-day Saints because it established a temple within the country rather than requiring members to travel internationally for temple worship.
At the time of the groundbreaking, the temple district included five stakes and seventeen districts in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Panama, representing approximately 32,000 members.
Groundbreaking and Construction
The groundbreaking and site-dedication ceremony took place on April 24, 1999, with Elder Lynn G. Robbins presiding. Interestingly, the groundbreaking was held on the same day as the groundbreaking for the Copenhagen Denmark Temple.
During the groundbreaking, Elder Robbins emphasized the temple as a symbol of celestial living and encouraged members to prepare themselves spiritually for temple worship.
The project moved remarkably quickly. At the groundbreaking, Church leaders expressed hope that the temple could be ready within approximately a year.
Open House and Dedication
The completed temple was opened to the public for a seven-day open house from May 20 through May 27, 2000.
The temple was then dedicated on June 4, 2000, by President James E. Faust.
The dedication made the San José Costa Rica Temple the 87th dedicated temple in operation at the time.
Interestingly, the dedication occurred on the same day as the dedication of the Montreal Quebec Temple.
Design and Architecture
The San José Costa Rica Temple contains approximately 10,700 square feet (994 square meters) of floor space and stands approximately 71 feet (21.6 meters) tall.
Its relatively small footprint reflects the temple's purpose as a regional temple serving a comparatively concentrated population.
The exterior is finished with Blanco Guardiano white marble from Torreón, Mexico. The bright white stone gives the temple a clean and elegant appearance that contrasts beautifully with Costa Rica's lush tropical vegetation.
The temple features a single attached spire topped by an angel Moroni statue, giving it the recognizable silhouette of a Latter-day Saint temple while maintaining a relatively compact design.
Inside the Temple
The San José Costa Rica Temple contains:
- Two instruction rooms, arranged in a two-stage progressive design
- Two sealing rooms
- One baptistry
The temple's compact size makes it considerably smaller than many of the larger temples built during later periods of Church expansion.
Nevertheless, it contains the essential spaces necessary for Latter-day Saints to participate in temple ordinances.
Costa Rica's First Temple
The importance of the temple goes beyond its architecture.
Before its construction, Costa Rican Latter-day Saints had to travel outside the country to participate in temple ordinances. The arrival of a temple in Costa Rica therefore represented a major change in the accessibility of temple worship.
It also demonstrated the Church's growing presence in Central America.
The temple followed the Guatemala City Guatemala Temple, making it only the second temple in Central America when it was dedicated in 2000.
The Temple's Regional Importance
The original temple district extended beyond Costa Rica itself, including stakes and districts in Nicaragua and Panama.
This demonstrates the regional role the temple played when it first opened.
As additional temples were eventually announced and built throughout Central America, temple districts became more localized. Nevertheless, the San José temple remains an important landmark in the development of temple worship in the region.
Temple Services
The San José Costa Rica Temple does not have a public visitors' center, arrival center, or patron housing. A distribution center is located on the property.
Because the temple has already been dedicated, regular interior access is reserved for Latter-day Saints who meet the requirements for temple worship.
Visitors can still appreciate the temple's exterior and grounds even when they are not eligible to enter.
Exploring Costa Rica
A temple trip to San José offers an excellent opportunity to explore Costa Rica.
San José is located in the country's Central Valley and provides easy access to some of Costa Rica's most famous attractions.
Travelers can explore:
- Arenal Volcano
- Poás Volcano
- La Paz Waterfall Gardens
- Monteverde
- Manuel Antonio National Park
- Pacific and Caribbean beaches
- Costa Rica's rain forests and wildlife reserves
Costa Rica is particularly famous for its biodiversity. A temple trip can therefore easily become a much broader adventure involving hiking, wildlife viewing, waterfalls, and beaches.
Why the San José Temple Matters
The San José Costa Rica Temple represents an important milestone in the history of the Church in Central America.
It was the first temple in Costa Rica and only the second temple in Central America when it was dedicated.
Its announcement, groundbreaking, construction, and dedication all occurred within an extraordinarily short period of time.
The temple also helped establish a permanent center of temple worship for Costa Rican Latter-day Saints while initially serving members in neighboring Nicaragua and Panama as well.
A Particularly Fast Temple Project
One of the more interesting facts about the San José Costa Rica Temple is how quickly it progressed from announcement to dedication.
The temple was announced on March 17, 1999, groundbreaking took place just over a month later on April 24, the public open house occurred in May 2000, and dedication followed on June 4, 2000.
That means the entire process from announcement to dedication took only about 15 months.
This was consistent with the Church's approach to several smaller temples announced during that era, which emphasized relatively simple designs and rapid construction.
Planning a Temple Trip
Because the San José Costa Rica Temple is an operating temple, travelers can plan an actual temple visit rather than waiting for a future open house.
Latter-day Saints who intend to participate in temple ordinances should check the temple's current operating schedule and make the necessary appointment before traveling. The temple's official schedule is linked from its temple information page.
Travelers who are not eligible for temple worship will not be able to tour the interior during normal operations, and there is no public visitors' center at the property.
Final Thoughts
The San José Costa Rica Temple may be relatively small compared with many modern temples, but its historical importance is enormous.
As Costa Rica's first temple and the second temple in Central America, it marked a major milestone in the expansion of temple worship throughout the region.
Its white Mexican marble exterior, attached Moroni spire, compact design, and tropical surroundings give it a distinctive appearance.
The temple's history is equally impressive. Announced in March 1999, groundbreaking followed just over a month later, and the temple was dedicated by President James E. Faust in June 2000.
For Latter-day Saint travelers from the United States, the San José Costa Rica Temple offers a particularly appealing combination of temple worship, Central American history, tropical scenery, wildlife, volcanoes, and Costa Rican adventure.
Scott & Riah
Brough Made
broughmade.com
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