Bagaces is a canton in the Guanacaste province of Costa Rica. The head city is in Bagaces district.
Overview
Bagaces is a canton in the Guanacaste province of Costa Rica. The head city is in Bagaces district.
History
Bagaces was created on 7 December 1848 by decree 167. Bagaces is one of the oldest settlements in early Spanish conquest in the 1540s, where natives lived by a creek. It became an important town after 1601 when the "Mule Trail" was established communicating Cartago, the capital of the province, with Guatemala, the capital of the Captaincy General. Bagaces was a necessary night stop and later acquired fame because of its dry bisquist (Biscocho) and cheese (Queso Bagaces), an important supply for the long ride.
Geography
Bagaces has an area of km² and a mean elevation of metres.
The Salto River on the west and Tenorio River on the east delineate this canton, with the Tempisque River as the southern border and the northern border high in the Cordillera de Guanacaste. Miravalles Volcano sits near that border's midway point.