Belen is canton number 7 of Heredia, one of Costa Rica’s seven provinces. On the North region of Belen you can find La Rivera industrial zone, which constitutes 18% of the area of the whole canton, and has undergone tremendous development in the last five years.

The main products in the area are onions, tomatoes, corn, coffee and cattle farming, as well as aviary production.

History

Belen’s first inhabitants ever were the Huetar tribe, a small population under the command of Cacique Garabito. The region’s favorable weather and farming conditions, and numerous springs and creeks were the key factors that attracted first indigenous populations, and afterwards the Spaniards.

The first family to settle in this land extension did so in an area later named Potrerillo Hacienda, which went on to become the first neighborhood in Belen.

The foundation of San Antonio, today one of the largest communities in Belen, was driven by wealthy families from the Heredia and Cartago provinces.

By the year 1800 the first school was built by the municipality of Heredia.

The truly dynamic development of the area began after 1843, when the active exportation of coffee to European markets started taking place, and the need for an adequate road to communicate the capital city of San Jose, and the rising portuary town of Puntarenas became evident. The proposed route crossed through the territory of Belen. For this reason, the community developed in an east-west manner, along the sides of the main road. The small village of Belen then became one of the rest spots for the transporters of the golden bean to the Pacific port, and brought back other products that were being imported at the time.

The road’s construction began in 1905 and was finally inaugurated in 1910.