Barva
Barva is a small city in the Canton of Barva, in Heredia Province, Costa Rica.
Barva | |
|---|---|
Town Seat of the Canton of Barva | |
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 Coat of arms | |
  Barva Location in Costa Rica | |
| Coordinates: 10°01′N 84°08′W | |
| Country |  |
| Province | Heredia Province |
| Canton | Canton of Barva |
| Area | |
| • Total | 20.8 sq mi (53.8 km2) |
| Population (2001) | |
| • Total | 32,440 |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (GMT) |
| Climate | Am |
Geography
It is located 3 km north of Heredia. It was named in honor of Barvak, an indigenous chief who ruled the area before the arrival of the Spanish.
It is divided into six political districts: Barva, Santa Lucía, San José de la Montaña, San Pedro, San Roque, and San Pablo. The city is known for having a nice mix of rural and metropolitan landscape.
Patron saint
The patron saint of the town is Saint Bartholomew. A large church, Iglesia de San Bartolomé de Barva, was established between 1568 and 1575 is in Barva. Every year on August 24, the people of the town have a celebration dedicated to the saint, and the highlight of the celebration is the unique masquerade, where people go out wearing masks and hit others with cow and pig bladders.
