A special ceremony was held May 6in the lobby of the Gran Hotel CostaRica to celebrate the presentation of aplaque designating the property a historicaland architectural heritage site.The declaration by the Ministry ofCulture, Youth and Sports and its offshoot,the Center of Investigation,Conservation and Cultural Heritage, willprotect the beautifully restored buildingfrom demolition or any future renovationsthat might destroy its historicalsignificance.The event commenced with speechesby hotel president Eric Gutiérrez andinvited guests: architect Miguel Herrera,director of the Center of Investigation,Conservation and Cultural Heritage, SanJosé Mayor Johnny Araya and Ministerof Culture Guido Sáenz.Gutiérrez said he felt extremely honoredthe hotel had received such distinctionand emphasized the importance ofpreserving San José’s cultural attractions.He thanked the Municipality of San Joséfor being instrumental in cleaning up thearea around the Gran Hotel, NationalTheater and Plaza de la Cultura, addingthat tourists should be made aware thecountry has more to offer than beaches,jungles and volcanoes.Araya thanked Gutiérrez for his dedicationto preserving history, and said hehoped Gutiérrez’s project would inspireothers to undertake similar endeavors,while Herrera called the preservation ofthe hotel an architectural, historical andcultural coup.Sáenz applauded the restoration andsaid it gave him great pleasure to presentthe plaque acknowledging the hotel as ahistorical and architectural heritage site.
