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October 9, 2020: World's Largest Oxcart, Sarchí

 

Sarchí is a well known craft center in Costa Rica, having more than 200 shops and small factories that make wooden bowls, tableware, furniture, and souvenirs.  The best-known items made here are elaborately painted oxcarts, traditionally used in the mountains to transport coffee to market. 

01 World Record largest Ox Cart, Sarchi

02 World Record largest Ox Cart, Sarchi

Each region of Costa Rica had a unique oxcart design, with characteristic painted patterns on the cart’s wheels. Today, oxcarts still have largely been replaced by trucks, but the oxcarts still are used by some farmers and play a role in parades and religious celebrations.

03 World Record largest Ox Cart, Sarchi

04 World Record largest Ox Cart, Sarchi

The “Sarchí OxCart” is located in the city's Central Park.  It was designed and built in 2006 by the Alfaro Castro Hermanos factory, which we've previously feature on TravelGumbo.  The idea behind making it was to put Sarchí's name in the Guinness Book of Records, which it did.

05 World Record largest Ox Cart, Sarchi

06 World Record largest Ox Cart, Sarchi

This World Record cart is 2 stories high, 14 meters (about 45 feet) long, and weighs two tons.  It is five times the size of a normal oxcart and is made of cedar, with four coats of paint and detailed colored pattern.  Its construction and painting took 70 days.

08 World Record largest Ox Cart, Sarchi

09 World Record largest Ox Cart, Sarchi

10 World Record largest Ox Cart, Sarchi

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  • World Record largest Ox Cart, Sarchi
  • World Record largest Ox Cart, Sarchi
  • World Record largest Ox Cart, Sarchi
  • World Record largest Ox Cart, Sarchi
  • World Record largest Ox Cart, Sarchi
  • World Record largest Ox Cart, Sarchi
  • World Record largest Ox Cart, Sarchi
  • World Record largest Ox Cart, Sarchi
  • World Record largest Ox Cart, Sarchi
  • World Record largest Ox Cart, Sarchi

Twitter: @DrFumblefinger

"We do not take a trip, a trip takes us".  John Steinbeck, from Travels with Charlie

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