The colonial church in Ujarrás, built of limestone between 1575 and 1580, resides where an indigenous Huetar Indian fisherman claimed to have found a box with an image of the Virgin Mary. Unable to move the box, local people built a classic Spanish Colonial church, ( Nuestra Señora de la Limpia Concepción ) on the site.
Over time, the spirit of Mary is said to have performed several miracles for the villagers, including a spontaneous bell ringing that warned them of an impending flood. In 1666 she is credited with helping a hastily organized militia repel an invasion of the Caribbean coast by the English pirate Henry Morgan.
But she failed to save Ujarrás from a devastating flood in 1833 that damaged the village so badly the people abandoned it and rebuilt on higher ground. Today, the church is beautifully landscaped and makes a worthwhile visit for people like us who love gardens and old church ruins.
Across the road is one of two spring-fed balnearios ( swimming pools ) open to the public. The big hydroelectric dam of Lake Cachí is three km outside of Ujarrás on the northeastern side of the lake. From here the Río Reventazón ( Bursting River ) spills down the mountainside to the Caribbean.
You can visit to this magical place from Sanchiri Lodge, just visit www.sanchiri.com for more information.