Playa del Inglés

Template: Infobox district of a municipality in Spain / Maintenance / localidad

Playa del Ingles is a district of the municipality of San Bartolomé de Tirajana on the south coast of Gran Canaria. The main economic activity is tourism. Playa del Ingles, together with San Agustín and Maspalomas, which also belong to the municipality of San Bartolomé de Tirajana, the largest tourist center of Spain. Because of their long, wide sandy beach with extensive dunes, the districts are known as the church, whose historical center is located 23 kilometers north of the island's interior. Since it has moved to the coast due to the ongoing construction of the last 40 years, the population center of the community, are the last few years, local authorities, such as the municipality, the local police and the district court in Playa del Inglés and in the adjoining Maspalomas. In 2011, the population was 7000th

Townscape and Zoning

At first glance, the cityscape of the hotel facilities is characterized, most of which were built in the 60 's and 70 's as the south of Gran Canaria has been developed for mass tourism. The building boom began in 1960. At that time decided the landowners Conde de la Vega Grande, were among the farm La Elvira large parts of the Island South to benefit from the growing mass tourism, which flourished at that time already on the mainland of Spain and the Balearic Islands. On Gran Canaria the boom went with the exception of the more traditional tourism in the city of Las Palmas but until then over. At that time, the south of Gran Canaria was a barren, semi- desert-like and sparsely populated land. However, above a result of Maspalomas Costa Canaria development plan, work began which changed the whole area forever in October 1962.

For the southern tip of the island of Zoning saw four population centers: first, three mainly for resorts planned place called Playa del Ingles, just east of it San Agustín and Maspalomas to the southwest at the old lighthouse. Another settlement is San Fernando, which immediately north adjoins Playa del Inglés and was primarily intended for Spaniards, who would work in the to be built resorts. Of these settlements include Maspalomas and San Fernando, the only ones who have at least rudimentary boast a historical core. A historic village or even the old town center, such as in Benidorm, can be found here not against it.

In particular, in Playa del Ingles, the differentiated design of individual streets and urban parts is still visible despite various subsequent amendments to the development plan. For example, some streets were ( for example, the Avenida de Tirajana ) deliberately planned as a shopping street with many shops and multi-storey hotel building. In between, and particularly on the western and south-eastern outskirts of the village there are several neighborhoods where a loose, heavily greened buildings with gardens and detached bungalows prevails in the Spanish style. The quality of the overall impression was, however, mitigated by in later years that the number of floors was significantly increased mainly in the north of Playa del Inglés in hotel construction.

Nevertheless, Playa del Ingles stands still positive of comparable Spanish mass tourism destinations such as Benidorm or Torremolinos by a significantly lower density of development and a lower overall height, even the tallest buildings, compared to the places mentioned from.

South of Playa del Ingles is the dunes of Maspalomas, which extends to the wetland lagoon El Charco. After repeated reduction of the dune area by the growing development in previous years and the expansion of the golf course Campo de Golf, the dune area was declared a nature reserve in 1987.

Commercial infrastructure

Playa del Inglés has no city center in the traditional sense; Shops and shopping centers are quite scattered. A fairly large number of shops can be found, however, on the Avenida de Tirajana and Avenida de Alfereces Provisionales. There are also scattered around town shopping centers, such as " Cita ", " Kasbah ", " Yumbo " and " Metro". The product range in the above areas is aimed largely at the normal tourist demand from, ie, supermarkets offer typical Central European or British food, plus there are the usual beach items and souvenirs. Spanish or Canarian foods are more likely to find in San Fernando. Moreover, in these malls are plenty of bars and pubs to find where lovers of local German beer brands get their money. There are, for example, Kölsch and Altbier pubs.

Playa del Inglés is since the 1970s, a popular holiday destination of European gay and lesbian scene. The scene today is focused on evening mainly in the opened in October 1982 Yumbo Shopping Center, a shopping center with bars and clubs. Since about 2000 speaks the local Hotel and Tourism the target group aware of. Most traveling with a usual package holiday, but now also many specialist tour operators have established themselves. Some hotels advertise that they are gay-friendly. Popular also located next door Maspalomas is because of the dunes and the nudist beach. Since 2001, takes place annually the " Maspalomas Pride".

Religion

Religious center of Playa del Inglés, the Templo ecuménico and the Centro ecuménico ( Ecumenical Centre ), which were built in 1970 and primarily serve the Catholic and Protestant tourists pastoral care. The village has both a Catholic and a Protestant parish office, specializing in German -speaking ministry.

Photo Gallery

Dunes view

Kasbah Shopping Centre

Sandy beach between Playa del Ingles and Maspalomas