Page 6 - LIMON TOURIST GUIDE

Introduction
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Protected Areas
Limoncito National Mixed Wildlife Refuge
Declared in 1994, the refuge is located in the southeastern region of the province, between the central district of Limón and Matama district, with only 1096 hectares inside the territory of Limón. It protects wetland ecosystems predominantly covered by flooded mixed forests, with the presence of palms (yolillales), as well as cativales in the less altered sectors. There are also grassy charrales that provide a habitat for many wild species and patches of typical Caribbean mangroves.
Río Banano Basin Protected Area
Located in the southern sector of the territory. This protected area was declared in 1990 and consists of 9225 hectares distributed between the Banano and La Estrella river basins. According to the same author, it is intended to preserve the aquifers that supply water to the city of Limón and Moín.
Urban Planning
In 1871, the engineer and architect Ángel Miguel Velázquez Vidaurre developed the plans for the settlement of the city of Limón. Its streets and avenues are wide and well laid out, and because it is the only Costa Rican city whose urban development was planned at the end of the 19th century, with precise quadrants.
The city is separated from the sea by a coastal promenade called the tajamar that borders its entire coastline in the urban area. As a result of its population explosion, Puerto Limón has seen the number of its neighborhoods grow, and in general the province of Limón has the highest population growth rate in Costa Rica.
Architectural Heritage
The city of Limón has several Victorian-style buildings that were adapted to the region’s warm, humid climate, giving rise to the Victorian-Caribbean architectural style. This style is characterized by high ceilings with lace-like wooden ornaments, generous corridors, turrets, railings and cross ventilation systems to alleviate the sensation of heat and humidity characteristic of the area. Stilts were also incorporated to raise the building in case of flooding, and mosquito nets to control the presence of insects.
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