Teguise
Having indulged the idyllic landscapes and breathtaking views of the north coast, we head back inland again to our next major stopping point, the historic little town of Teguise, ancient capital of the island until 1852, when the administration was transferred to Arrecife. Yet, many Lanzaroteños still regard Teguise as their real capital and refer to Arrecife only as El Puerto (the port).
The municipality of Teguise, which comprises the holiday resort Costa Teguise on the southeast coast and the area around Famara on the north shore, is the largest of the island.
Founded in 1418 as Villa Real (Royal Town) de Teguise by Maciot de Béthencourt, nephew of Lanzarote’s Norman conqueror Jean de Béthencourt, it holds its name from one of the daughters of Guardafía, the last reigning Guanche king before the conquest.
Between the 16th and 18th centuries, Teguise developed into a flourishing colonial town, home to European noble families like the de Béthencourts, the Herreras and others, and remained the most important town of the Canaries for more than a century. Linked to various musical instruments, including the timple, a unique five-string guitar, which was invented here, it was in Teguise, where much of the Canary culture originated.
With its narrow, well-kept cobbled streets, airy squares, an imposing parish church, two historic convents and some beautifully restored domestic buildings – a few embellished with the traditional wooden balcony as seen on other islands of the archipelago – this small, tranquil town has kept much of its colonial charm, splendour and dignity.
The white parish church Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, also known as Iglesia de San Miguel, dominates the town centre, occupied by the Plaza de la Constitución – or Plaza de San Miguel as the locals commonly call it. Guarded by two impressive stone lions, this spacious Plaza features a fountain, some Norfolk Island pines and palm trees. Originally dating back to the 15th century, the San Miguel church has been rebuilt many times over the centuries. In the exterior, it features a massive bell tower of brown volcanic rock, topped with a white octagonal belfry, which has a balcony running round it, and a remarkable stone doorway on the south side. The interior, which is mainly neo-Gothic and features much white plasterwork and dark volcanic stone pillars, is divided into three naves and houses a statue of the Virgin Mary of Guadeloupe.
Behind the church, the Callejon de la Sangre (the “alley of blood”) reminds of a terrible pirate raid in 1586, where, among many men, also a large number of women and children were slaughtered.
Opposite the church stands the Palacio Spínola, a beautiful mid-18th-century Renaissance mansion, formerly home to various noble families, with a small patio and a well. In 1984, it was bought by the town council, restored under Manrique’s supervision and converted into a museum. Since 1989, when it also became the official residence of the Government of the Canary Islands, the Palacio Spínola fulfils a double function as museum and residence; occasionally it also houses art exhibitions. All rooms, including the courtyard, are open to the public and can be visited from Monday to Friday (except Wednesdays) between 09.00 and 15.00 hrs, and on Saturdays and Sundays between 09.30 and 14.00 hrs.
La Cilla, a small, restored building, which you will see on the south side of Plaza San Miguel, was once a tithe barn. Today, a branch of the omnipresent Caja Canarias savings bank occupies this building.
There are also two important convents in Teguise, the older of which is the Convento de San Francisco, located at the south-eastern end of the town. Built by Franciscan missionaries in the late 16th century, only the church survived until today. On the exterior of the church, which was used as burial site for the most prominent citizens of Lanzarote, an unusual spiral pattern above the main portal can be observed. The mainly Mudéjar-style interior has two naves – one larger than the other and separated by a series of ribbed arches – and features three altarpieces, a carved wooden pulpit and a volcanic stone font. The San Francisco Convent, which was converted into a Sacred Art Museum, is open from Monday (except Tuesdays) to Friday from 10.00 to 16.00 hrs, and on Saturdays and Sundays from 10.00 to 15.00 hrs.
At the south-western end of the town lies the Convent of Santo Domingo, which is believed to have been founded in 1726. The main exterior characteristics are its two façades and the insignias of the Dominican order in red stone above the wooden portal of the main entrance. The interior, with two naves separated by four arches of red and black volcanic stone, features a beautiful Canary style main altar in one of the apses. Today, the abbey serves as a modern art gallery – the Centro de Arte – with exhibitions of works by internationally renowned artists. Opening times are from Monday to Friday between 10.00 and 13.00 hrs, and 10.00 to 14.00 hrs on Sundays; it is closed on Saturdays.
Teguise also boasts a number of charming, nicely renovated domestic buildings from the 17th and 18th century, with traditional architectural features like whitewashed walls, corners of black or red volcanic stone, wooden doors and windows and the odd wooden balcony. Especially noteworthy among these buildings are Palacio Herrera-Rojas, at present occupied by an art gallery; Casa Parroquial, which used to be a prison; the snow-white balconied Casa Cuartel, a former army barracks, and Casa Torres.
Another of Teguise’s interesting features is the Parque la Mareta that extents behind the San Miguel parish church and used to be a large reservoir, from where water was piped all over the island. Nowadays, there is a huge cistern buried beneath the green surface, the basic freshwater supply for the town. A tourist information office is also located here.
Every Sunday morning this sleepy town comes alive, when one of the island’s largest markets takes place in the square in front of the church, the surrounding alleyways and the park. Thousands of locals and tourists come from all over the island to view the merchandise of the many stalls selling all kinds of things, such as craft items, ceramics, jewellery, paintings, antiques, trinkets, souvenirs as well as a lot of glitter and junk. There are often folklore shows in the square, which usually attract many spectators, who enjoy the performances while sampling the local specialities offered at the stalls and in the surrounding restaurants. Besides this colourful bazaar-like Sunday market, Teguise also boasts numerous shops and galleries with a very diversified offer for quality shopping.
Towering over the town in the east – not to be missed, as it can already be seen from far away – is the bulky two-towered Castillo de Santa Barbara, perched on the rim of the extinct volcano Guanapay (425 m – 1,395 ft). Originally built in the 14th century as a watchtower to observe both the north and the south coast, it was reconstructed 100 years later. Then, in the late 16th century – after the bloody invasion of Berber pirates in 1586 – it was reinforced and converted into a real fortress by the Italian master fortress builder Leonardo Torriani. From the fortress and a rough track leading round the crater edge, the visitor who made his way up here is - on a clear day - rewarded with breathtaking views over almost the entire island on a clear day. For a few hundred years, this solid fortress had played an important role in the protection of the inhabitants from sudden raids, but by the 20th century it had become rather decrepit and needed renovation, which it was given.
Since 1991 the castle houses the Museo del Emigrante Canario (Emigrant Museum), which tells us inspiring, sometimes also very tragic, stories of Canary Islanders, who – in search of a better life and to escape death of hunger on their native islands – emigrated in masses to South and Central America. The museum is open from Tuesday to Friday between 10.00 and 16.00 hrs, and on Saturdays and Sundays from 10.00 to 14.00 hrs.
The municipality of Teguise, which comprises the holiday resort Costa Teguise on the southeast coast and the area around Famara on the north shore, is the largest of the island.
Founded in 1418 as Villa Real (Royal Town) de Teguise by Maciot de Béthencourt, nephew of Lanzarote’s Norman conqueror Jean de Béthencourt, it holds its name from one of the daughters of Guardafía, the last reigning Guanche king before the conquest.
Between the 16th and 18th centuries, Teguise developed into a flourishing colonial town, home to European noble families like the de Béthencourts, the Herreras and others, and remained the most important town of the Canaries for more than a century. Linked to various musical instruments, including the timple, a unique five-string guitar, which was invented here, it was in Teguise, where much of the Canary culture originated.
With its narrow, well-kept cobbled streets, airy squares, an imposing parish church, two historic convents and some beautifully restored domestic buildings – a few embellished with the traditional wooden balcony as seen on other islands of the archipelago – this small, tranquil town has kept much of its colonial charm, splendour and dignity.
The white parish church Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, also known as Iglesia de San Miguel, dominates the town centre, occupied by the Plaza de la Constitución – or Plaza de San Miguel as the locals commonly call it. Guarded by two impressive stone lions, this spacious Plaza features a fountain, some Norfolk Island pines and palm trees. Originally dating back to the 15th century, the San Miguel church has been rebuilt many times over the centuries. In the exterior, it features a massive bell tower of brown volcanic rock, topped with a white octagonal belfry, which has a balcony running round it, and a remarkable stone doorway on the south side. The interior, which is mainly neo-Gothic and features much white plasterwork and dark volcanic stone pillars, is divided into three naves and houses a statue of the Virgin Mary of Guadeloupe.
Behind the church, the Callejon de la Sangre (the “alley of blood”) reminds of a terrible pirate raid in 1586, where, among many men, also a large number of women and children were slaughtered.
Opposite the church stands the Palacio Spínola, a beautiful mid-18th-century Renaissance mansion, formerly home to various noble families, with a small patio and a well. In 1984, it was bought by the town council, restored under Manrique’s supervision and converted into a museum. Since 1989, when it also became the official residence of the Government of the Canary Islands, the Palacio Spínola fulfils a double function as museum and residence; occasionally it also houses art exhibitions. All rooms, including the courtyard, are open to the public and can be visited from Monday to Friday (except Wednesdays) between 09.00 and 15.00 hrs, and on Saturdays and Sundays between 09.30 and 14.00 hrs.
La Cilla, a small, restored building, which you will see on the south side of Plaza San Miguel, was once a tithe barn. Today, a branch of the omnipresent Caja Canarias savings bank occupies this building.
There are also two important convents in Teguise, the older of which is the Convento de San Francisco, located at the south-eastern end of the town. Built by Franciscan missionaries in the late 16th century, only the church survived until today. On the exterior of the church, which was used as burial site for the most prominent citizens of Lanzarote, an unusual spiral pattern above the main portal can be observed. The mainly Mudéjar-style interior has two naves – one larger than the other and separated by a series of ribbed arches – and features three altarpieces, a carved wooden pulpit and a volcanic stone font. The San Francisco Convent, which was converted into a Sacred Art Museum, is open from Monday (except Tuesdays) to Friday from 10.00 to 16.00 hrs, and on Saturdays and Sundays from 10.00 to 15.00 hrs.
At the south-western end of the town lies the Convent of Santo Domingo, which is believed to have been founded in 1726. The main exterior characteristics are its two façades and the insignias of the Dominican order in red stone above the wooden portal of the main entrance. The interior, with two naves separated by four arches of red and black volcanic stone, features a beautiful Canary style main altar in one of the apses. Today, the abbey serves as a modern art gallery – the Centro de Arte – with exhibitions of works by internationally renowned artists. Opening times are from Monday to Friday between 10.00 and 13.00 hrs, and 10.00 to 14.00 hrs on Sundays; it is closed on Saturdays.
Teguise also boasts a number of charming, nicely renovated domestic buildings from the 17th and 18th century, with traditional architectural features like whitewashed walls, corners of black or red volcanic stone, wooden doors and windows and the odd wooden balcony. Especially noteworthy among these buildings are Palacio Herrera-Rojas, at present occupied by an art gallery; Casa Parroquial, which used to be a prison; the snow-white balconied Casa Cuartel, a former army barracks, and Casa Torres.
Another of Teguise’s interesting features is the Parque la Mareta that extents behind the San Miguel parish church and used to be a large reservoir, from where water was piped all over the island. Nowadays, there is a huge cistern buried beneath the green surface, the basic freshwater supply for the town. A tourist information office is also located here.
Every Sunday morning this sleepy town comes alive, when one of the island’s largest markets takes place in the square in front of the church, the surrounding alleyways and the park. Thousands of locals and tourists come from all over the island to view the merchandise of the many stalls selling all kinds of things, such as craft items, ceramics, jewellery, paintings, antiques, trinkets, souvenirs as well as a lot of glitter and junk. There are often folklore shows in the square, which usually attract many spectators, who enjoy the performances while sampling the local specialities offered at the stalls and in the surrounding restaurants. Besides this colourful bazaar-like Sunday market, Teguise also boasts numerous shops and galleries with a very diversified offer for quality shopping.
Towering over the town in the east – not to be missed, as it can already be seen from far away – is the bulky two-towered Castillo de Santa Barbara, perched on the rim of the extinct volcano Guanapay (425 m – 1,395 ft). Originally built in the 14th century as a watchtower to observe both the north and the south coast, it was reconstructed 100 years later. Then, in the late 16th century – after the bloody invasion of Berber pirates in 1586 – it was reinforced and converted into a real fortress by the Italian master fortress builder Leonardo Torriani. From the fortress and a rough track leading round the crater edge, the visitor who made his way up here is - on a clear day - rewarded with breathtaking views over almost the entire island on a clear day. For a few hundred years, this solid fortress had played an important role in the protection of the inhabitants from sudden raids, but by the 20th century it had become rather decrepit and needed renovation, which it was given.
Since 1991 the castle houses the Museo del Emigrante Canario (Emigrant Museum), which tells us inspiring, sometimes also very tragic, stories of Canary Islanders, who – in search of a better life and to escape death of hunger on their native islands – emigrated in masses to South and Central America. The museum is open from Tuesday to Friday between 10.00 and 16.00 hrs, and on Saturdays and Sundays from 10.00 to 14.00 hrs.
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