Arrecife

Arrecife is the political and economic capital of the Canary Island of Lanzarote. She untied 1852, the old capital Teguise from inland. Arrecife is also one of the seven municipalities of the island and is home to 55,673 inhabitants ( 1 January 2013), almost half of all islanders.

• 3.1 Picture Gallery

History

Arrecife was first mentioned in the 15th century as a small fishing village. It owes its name to the city of Arrecife, black volcanic reef, behind which the boats could protectively hide from pirate attacks.

Towards the end of the 16th century Arrecife began to grow, because it had become necessary to build for port workers and staff houses and warehouses for trade between the Old World and the New. As a result, the town was a popular destination pirates. 1571 plundered and destroyed the pirates Dogan the port town almost completely.

A few years later, work began on the Castillo de San Gabriel on the upstream, small island Islote de Fermina from which they promised themselves a high protection from pirate attacks. But already in 1586 landed the pirate Morato Arráez in the city, made ​​her practically finished off, destroying at this point, the first built already in 1574 the fortress. Today's Castillo de San Gabriel, with bell towers and guard houses, was built on the orders of the Spanish king Philip II of Spain, and according to plans by Leonardo Torriani around 1590. He also designed the Castillo de Santa Bárbara in Teguise. The Castillo de San Gabriel is the current Archaeological Museum Island ( Archaeological Museum ), are shown in the finds from altkanarischen eras, which include a monolith from the Guanchenpalast Zonzamas, some grave side dishes and clay figures. Furthermore show idol model representations, such as the Guanches could have looked like, and how they imagined their gods. A landmark of Arrecife is the accompanying draw-bridge Puente de las Bolas.

Just north outside the stands in 1776 at the instigation of King Charles III. built by Spain Castillo de San José. It is located on the eight meters higher than the cliff peninsula, the Cueva de Inés, and is called by locals hungry castle, as the population by the massive volcanic eruptions on the island in the 18th century suffered from hunger. Labor and protection from pirate attacks, the realization offer according to plans of the civil engineer Alfonso Ochando. However, since this no longer took place, lost the hunger castle in importance.

The Castillo de San José by the artist and environmentalist César Manrique (1919-1992) in 1974 was converted into the home of the Museum of Contemporary Art ( Museo Internacional de Arte Contemporáneo ). These include a restaurant with panoramic views to the sea and a redesigned, large hall for concerts and meetings. The gallery now houses paintings by Spanish artists. On display are works by Joan Miró and Manolo Millares, Óscar Domínguez and Gerardo Rueda, Eusebio Sempérez, Agustín Cardena and of course by Manrique himself

1792 was the Muelle de las Cebollas ( the moles of onions) as part of the new port. They provided protection from the waves of the Atlantic and served the ships as an investor.

Church of San Ginés

End of the 16th century was the first church, this is the first bishop of Arrecife, San Ginés consecrated. At the opening of the port, on 25 June 1798 the first mass was in the remodeled and independent parish declared Iglesia San Ginés held. It received its present look here first. With their three-aisled interior and carved wooden ceiling, the Iglesia de San Ginés is in the Plaza de las Palmas is the oldest church in Lanzarote.

Traffic

Just south of town is the airport of Arrecife. Here charter and scheduled flights from all over Europe and regional flights to the other Canary Islands are handled.

Arrecife has the major seaport for Lanzarote Los Mármoles. He is a transfer point for essential goods for the island. In addition, some ferries run from here to the neighboring islands and to Cadiz on the Spanish mainland.

Public buses run from the promenade of the largest on the island.

More information

Arrecife is not a classic beauty in a colonial style, but he who seeks the Canarian way of life, will find there. In the many small streets, the typical Canarian life takes place. Tourists do not dominate the cityscape, as they mainly reside in the three tourist resorts of Playa Blanca, Puerto del Carmen and Costa Teguise.

In 1964, the first desalination plant in Lanzarote Arrecife, which is still in operation today.

Opened in 1974, César Manrique, the multi-purpose cultural center El Almacén to promote the culture in the capital. It should be a meeting place for artists of all nationalities. In therein El Aljibe Art gallery the first opportunity for the exhibition was offered on the island of Lanzarote. At El Almacén including one named after his friend Pablo Ruiz Picasso Manrique's restaurant and later a cinema. 1989 acquired the island government, the Cabildo Insular de Lanzarote based in Arrecife, the operating losses center and brought a cultural department under there.

In the seventies of the last century in Arrecife was the tallest building on the island, the Gran Hotel, which was closed for economic reasons in 1991 and 1994 was completely gutted. In July 2004, it was reopened.

Gallery

Castillo de San Gabriel

Castillo de San José

Iglesia de San Ginés

Prayer room of the Iglesia de San Ginés

Gran Hotel Arrecife

Waterfront

Pedestrian street, Calle de Leon y Castillo

Sons and daughters of the town

• César Manrique (1919-1992), an artist, architect, sculptor and environmentalist
• Goya Toledo (born 1969 ), actress and fashion model