Fodor's Expert Review Church of Our Lady of Mercy

Grecia Historical

This brick-red Gothic-style church is made of prefabricated iron. It's one of two buildings in the country made from steel frames and iron sheets imported from Belgium in the late 19th century (the other is the metal schoolhouse next to San José's Parque Morazán), when some prominent Costa Ricans decided that metal structures would better withstand the periodic earthquakes that had taken their toll on so much of the country's architecture. The frames were shipped from Antwerp to Limón, then transported by train to Alajuela—from which the metal walls of the church were carried by oxcarts. Locals refer to the building as simply the “Iglesia Metálica” (Metal Church). The splendid 1886 German pipe organ, regarded as Costa Rica's finest, is worth a look inside.

Historical Church

Quick Facts

Avda. 1, Cs. 1–3
Grecia, Alajuela  20301, Costa Rica

2494–1616

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