José Coronel Urtheco Cultural Center

Thousands referred to him as “the most influential Nicaraguan thinker of the twentieth century”. He was a playwright, historian, translator, poet, diplomat and Sandinista National Liberation supporter, and his work had great influence on the country. José Coronel Urtecho was born in Granada on 28 February 1906 and passed away on 19 March 1994 in San Carlos, but the memory of his life and the positive changes he made within his community is kept alive at the José Coronel Urtecho Cultural Center.

San Carlos was established as a military post to protect the country against pirates and is located on the Pacific Coast. The San Carlos fort was constructed on the highest point of the city to overlook the coastline. The fort no longer serves as an outlook post, but as the home of the José Coronel Urtecho Cultural Center. It offers magnificent views over the city, as well as of Lake Nicaragua. The main objective of the José Coronel Urtecho Cultural Center is to educate the public, as Coronel Urtecho once did. Located in the central park of San Carlos, the center focuses its attention on the San Juan River. It strives to promote the fauna and flora of the river, as well as its fascinating history through boards, twenty-nine in total, that are set up within the center. Each board has its own unique information listed on it. Even the fort has its own heritage, starting off as a fort, being used as prison in later years, as well as a police station.

The San Carlos municipal library is also located in the center, and even though the collection is small, it is sufficient for visitors to research various topics such as literature, natural history, biology and geology. Another room of the centre has been equipped to accommodate events, seminars and a variety of functions. One of the main attractions of the centre is the different viewpoints that the fort provides. The José Coronel Urtecho Cultural Center attracts hundreds of both local and international visitors each year.