Did you know that Costa Rica is one of three Latin America country to have a piece of the infamous Berlin Wall on exhibit, along with Mexico and Argentina?

The 3-meter tall slab is on display inside the Costa Rican Foreign Ministry on Street 13 in downtown San José’s Otoya neighborhood. The beautiful historic building is commonly known as the “Casa Amarilla.”

After the wall fell on November 9, 1989, fragments were sent to different parts of the world as a symbol of a desire for walls never to be built again.

Former Costa Rica Foreign Minister Bernd Niehaus who served under the Calderon Fournier administration, asked the then-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany, Dietrich Genscher, for a piece of the wall. It was unveiled on April 12, 1994 during the 150th anniversary celebration of the Costa Rican Foreign Ministry.

 

Guided visits of the Casa Amarilla are available for those who wish to view the fragment. The visits can be coordinated by writing to <[email protected]>.

And, if you want to get a more lively taste of German culture, check out the German Festival – La Feria Alemana – next weekend, August 5 – 6 at Parque Viva in La Guacima, Alajuela.