Casa Amarilla

San José


On Parque España’s northeast corner, this elegant colonial-style yellow mansion (closed to the public) houses the Foreign Affairs Ministry. The ceiba tree in front was planted by John F Kennedy during his 1963 visit to Costa Rica. If you walk around to the property’s northeast corner, you can see a graffiti-covered slab of the Berlin Wall standing in the rear garden.

The building, initially the Central American Court of Justice, was built with funds donated by Andrew Carnegie in 1910. There's a nice tribute to tango legend Carlos Gardel adjacent (on the 'Paseo Argentino') as well as some cute cafes, giftshops, and a groovy bookshop.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby San José attractions

1. Parque España

0.05 MILES

Surrounded by heavy traffic, Parque España may be small, but it becomes a riot of birdsong every day at sunset when the local avian population comes in to…

2. Edificio Metálico

0.08 MILES

One of downtown San José's most striking buildings, this century-old two-story metal edifice on Parque España's western edge was prefabricated in Belgium,…

3. Centro Nacional de la Cultura

0.09 MILES

Housed in the historical National Liquor Factory, this cultural center contains the museum of art and design, a video museum, a gallery and two theaters.

4. Museo de Arte y Diseño Contemporáneo

0.11 MILES

Commonly referred to as MADC, the Contemporary Art & Design Museum is housed in the historical National Liquor Factory building, which dates from 1856. It…

5. TEOR/éTica

0.14 MILES

This contemporary-art museum is the brick-and-mortar gathering space for the TEOR/éTica Foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports Central…

6. Barrio Amón

0.16 MILES

Northwest of Plaza España lies this pleasant, historical neighborhood, home to a cluster of 19th-century cafetalero (coffee grower) mansions. Recently…

7. Templo de Música

0.16 MILES

Since the 1920s, this large metallic dome perched atop columns in Parque Morazán has sheltered concerts, dance parties and political rallies.

8. Parque Morazán

0.16 MILES

Parque Morazán is named for Francisco Morazán, the 19th-century general who attempted to unite the Central American nations under a single flag (for his…

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