Prior to its founding, the area around Heredia was inhabited by the native
tribe that is known as the Huetares, who were commanded at the coming of the
Spanish by the Cacique
Garabito. In 1706 settlers from Cartago, set up a small church at a place they
called "Alvirilla", which soon became more populated. Between 1716
and 1717 the settlers moved their village to the north, to a place the Indians
called CubujuquÃ. In 1736 Heredia was deemed sufficiently large to be
granted its own parish, and the first incarnation of the Iglesia de la
Inmaculada was built to
