The head city of the canton is the homonymous Barva district.
Toponymy
The name comes from Barvac or Barvak a cacique of the area around 1569, which in turn might come from either:
From New Tlapallan in Nahuatl language, or Tla pallapan, which in Huetar language was Tabaraba or Abaraba, hispanicized as Barba and meaning Black River or Dark River as explained by José Fidel Tristán in 1910.[3][4]
Bal (town) and wac (anteater), meaning Anteater Town, according to Luis Ferrero.[4]
Bar or bur (bees) with ba or bac (tribe), meaning Bees Tribe, as explained by bishop Bernardo Augusto Thiel y Hoffmann in late 19th century, from sources from 1575 and 1599.[4]
By Decree 188 of 4 October 1974, the name changes from Barba to Barva.
History
Barva was first mentioned as a canton in a decree dated December 7, 1848.
The territory that today corresponds to the canton was part of the Western Huetar Kingdom, where the cacique named Barbak had his settlement, whose name was extended to the region between the Virilla River and the mountains of "Monte de Aguacate", which was called Barva (Valle de Barva).
Around 1575 the first Catholic church of the canton was built, and dedicated to Saint Bartholomew, after several earthquakes and reconstructions, the current building of the Parish of Saint Bartholomew the Apostle was consecrated in 1897.
Barva has an area of 53.8 km2[5] and an elevation of 1,241 metres.[1]
The elongated canton climbs from the city of Barva on the outskirts of the capital city of Heredia up the slopes of the dormant Barva Volcano, with the mountain's summit serving as its northern boundary.
The mountainous region of the canton, where the lagoon of the Barva volcano is located, is part of the area protected by the Braulio Carrillo National Park. Barva is also the access point to the Poás Volcano National Park, the most visited in the country.
The mountains of the region are appropriate for the agriculture. There are plenty of coffee plantations around the slopes of the Barva Volcano. There is also dairy production.
Culture
Masquerade Festival in Barva central park
The canton of Barva is known for its mix between rural and urban. The historic centre of the city has several adobe houses Colonial style classic architecture. The Saint "patron of the city" is Bartholomew the Apostle, reason why the Catholic church was named to honor Saint Bartholomew.
Barva is one of the cantons where there are traditional masquerades, particularly around the festivities of Saint Bartholomew, on 24 August.
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