Alajuela has 47,494 inhabitants (last updated: January 1, 2005) and is the second largest city in Costa Rica, after the capital of San Jose; it is the capital of the province of the same name. The city is located at the foot of the 2,704 meter-high volcano Poás. Costa Rica’s most important international airport, Aeropuerto Juan Santamaría, is located in Alajuela. Furthermore, it is the commercial center for sugar and coffee grown and harvested in the surrounding areas.

The city was founded in 1782. The residents of the settlement of La Lajuela, which already existed at that time, then built their own church. In 1823, together with San José, Alajuela fought for the freedom of Costa Rica on the Republican side against Heredia and Cartago, who shared the position of the monarchists. The monarchists were in favor of annexation to Mexico. But the Republican forces won the battle of April 5, 1823 in Ochomogo.

One place of interest in the city center is the cathedral with its enormous dome above the altar. A noticeable cultural monument is the bronze statue of the national hero Juan Santamaría, a native son of the city. During the battle of Rivas in 1856, he was responsible for the victory of the Costa Ricans over the Filibusters (a group of pirates that ravaged the Caribbean in the 17th century) under William Walker. The museum Juan Santamaría was built as a memorial to the national hero who died during this battle. It is located in the former prison building. The city of Alajuela wanted to use the occasion of these festivities celebrating the national hero Juan Santamaría (150th anniversary on April 11, 2006, but was celebrated on April 17, 2006) to introduce the sister-city project with Lahr in the presence of the President of Costa Rica.

The Mango Festival is held every year in July in the city park lined with many mango trees. Concerts are held in the park’s music pavilion every Sunday. Located near the city, the butterfly farm near La Guácima de Alajuela and the Zoo Ave in La Garita de Alajuela are worth a visit. The Zoo is a kind of giant tropical bird park that also boasts a number of mammals and reptiles in the middle of luxuriant vegetation.

In 2001, the city of Lahr held a sculptor forum featuring the works of Costa Rican artists. Twenty-five artists from Costa Rica exhibited their works of art in Lahr’s Municipal Park. This sculptor forum was very successful. As a memento of the exhibition, the sculpture “Cabeza Pensamiento” is now located on Lahr's city hall grounds. Thanks to the excellent and close cooperation between the artists and the current population, there are still many contacts between the artists and Lahr’s residents.

Based on this cooperation, the Costa Rican ambassador to Germany at that time, Prof. Rafael Angel Herra, suggested a sister-city program between Lahr and a city in Costa Rica in order to strengthen the relationship between the two countries for the long term.

In May 2004, interested residents of Lahr got together and founded the “Alajuela-Lahr Circle of Friends” in the form of a registered association. Dr. Richard Mährlein, Im Blumert 14, 77933 Lahr was elected as the first chairman of the association.

In July 2004, the new German ambassador to Costa Rica, Dr. Bernd Niehaus, paid a visit to Lahr during which he promised his express support for the sister-city project between Alajuela and Lahr.
On March 6, 2006, the Lahr City Council resolved to form a sister-city partnership.

The city of Lahr’s partnerships and friendships to all its sister cities are meant to be expressed in a special way through the meetings of people. A sister-city program with Alajuela will be heavily characterized on the Lahr side by the commitment of the Alajuela-Lahr Circle of Friends, a multitude of community groups, by business and community organizations as well as contributions from other interested parties.

Based on the previous contacts made when setting up the sister-city program with Alajuela, the following areas of cooperation are conceivable: