Las Palmas of Gran Canaria

Las Palmas of Gran Canaria is a municipality and the capital of the Province of Las Palmas, and islands the Canaries (Spain). It is located in the North-East of the island of Gran Canaria and is more the big city of the archipelago (it extends on close to 10  km enters the ravine of Guiniguada to the south and the peninsula of Isleta to north). The city, also known for its famous Carnival which is prolonged during weeks in February, is the administrative and economic center of the island. It takes turns every four years with Santa Cruz of Tenerife located on the close island to control the archipelago.

History

The foundation of the town of Las Palmas of Gran Canaria goes back to June 24th 1478, when the Castilian captain Don Juan Rejón began the conquest of the island of Large Canarie. The city, initially baptized El Real of Las Palmas , was founded with the site of an important palm plantation, which gave him its name. The fight for the island with the aboriginals Guanche S lasted five years and much of lives were lost on the two sides until the island of Gran Canaria was finally integrated into the Spanish crown in 1483.

The city knew a growth then continues and became the political and administrative center of the island.

During its first centuries of existence, the city became also an important, primarily founded economic pole on the trade of the Canne to sugar agrarian and exports towards the Europe and the America. During this period ostentation, the city underwent many attacks of Pirate S. which were prolonged until the 18th century.

In October 1595, the city arrived has to resist an attack of the English corsairs Francis Drake and John Hawkins, but four years later Dutch, under the orders of Van der Does, ransacked and set fire to the city.

At the 19th century the introduction of free ports caused a vital economic projection for Las Palmas. This special economic mode was intended to support the commercial relations of the archipelago and made it possible to increase appreciably the number of ships making stopover in the port of the city. At that time was born also tourism and the first hotel of Gran Canaria, the hotel Santa Catalina , saw the day at Las Palmas in 1890.

In 1957 began the era of the flights charters when the first plane with 54  passengers on board landed on the airport Aeropuerto de Gando. Today the tourist activity became the economic main motor of the island but this one is especially localized in the sunnier south.

Demography

At the 20th century the city knows a demographic strong growth. Thus, it yet only counted: 79196  inhabitants at the time of the census of the population of 1928. Since this figure was multiplied by five. Many people arrived in the Fifties and Sixties of the countryside of Gran Canaria as well as close islands, in particular of Fuerteventura and Lanzarote to work in the economic sectors and administrative.

And today still the process continues. Example: strong increase in the population between 2001 and 2005 (see the table below).

To see

  • the Cathedral of the Canary islands started at the beginning of the 16th century and finished at the 19th century. It is the seat of évêché of the islands the Canaries.

  • the Put Colón , the old palate of the first governors of the island where Christophe Colomb remained and which shelters a museum today recalls forwardings towards the new world.
  • the museum Museo Canario in which one can see important vestiges of the time of the Guanche S.
  • the walk Paseo of mow Canteras which skirts one of the most beautiful urban beaches in the world, the Playa of mow Canteras .
  • the museum of modern art Central Atlántico de Arte Moderno .
  • the fort Castillo of Luz builds at the 16th century to protect the city from the attacks of the pirates and where temporary exhibitions are presented today.

Transport (main roads)

  • GC-1

  • GC-2
  • GC-3
  • GC-10
  • GC-23
  • GC-31

Personalities related to the commune

  • Javier Bardem, actor Spanish

  • Benito Pérez Galdós, writer Spanish
  • Sven Giegold, politicking German
  • Mateo Gil, scenario writer Spanish
  • Alfredo Kraus, tenor Spanish
  • Juan Jose Armed Marcelo, writer Spanish
  • Juan Negrín, republican president

External bonds

  • Charts and air photography

    • Charts of Photographic Mapquest
    • aerial of Microsoft Terraserver
    • Institution of the Fairs of the Canaries


Simple: Las Palmas of Gran Canaria

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