By Andrea Müller
The contents of this Book have been compiled with the greatest care. Nevertheless, errors cannot be completely excluded. The author assumes no legal responsibility or any liability for any remaining errors and their consequences.
All product names are used without guarantee of free usability and are possibly registered trademarks. All (also personal) images were explicitly permitted only for this travel guide. Further use / transfer is expressly not permitted.
The work including all its parts is protected by copyright. Any use - even in extracts - is only permitted with the author's consent. All rights reserved. Comments and questions are welcome:
Andrea Müller, Calle Las Cuevas, 8
E- 35542 Punta Mujeres, province of Las Palmas, Lanzarote
Web: www.fuerteventura-mal-anders.de
mailto: ebook@lfuerteventura-mal-anders.de
© 2020 Andrea Müller, cover design, pictures: Andrea Müller
© mapz.com - Map Data OpenStreetMap ODbL
Number of pages: 96 pages
Number of images/ Maps: 121 images
2 Imprint
Bibliographic Information of the German National Library
The German National Library lists this publication in the German National Bibliography; detailed bibliographic data are available on the Internet at www.dnb.de
© 2020 Andrea Müller
Production and publishing
BoD - Books on Demand GmbH, Norderstedt
ISBN: 9783750439542
The archipelago consists of the 8 islands La Graciosa, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro. Politically they belong to Spain and geographically to Africa. They are located 1200 km from the Spanish mainland and between 100 and 500 km west of Morocco. All islands are of volcanic origin, their age decreases from east to west.
Millions of years ago, huge masses of magma pushed their way up through fracture lines of the earth's crust, exploded in violent volcanic eruptions and formed the islands with their basalt lava flows. In several eruption thrusts of different duration and intensity they formed the present island profiles.
Fuerteventura with approximately 22 million years, Lanzarote and La Graciosa with 15.5 million years are the oldest islands of the archipelago. Gran Canaria originated approximately 14.5 million years ago, Tenerife 12 million years ago and La Gomera 11 million years ago. La Palma and El Hierro are with 2. and 1.2 million years respectively the youngest Canary Islands. The natives are descended from North African Berbers and developed different cultures on the individual islands, independently of each other. In Lanzarote they were called Majos, in Fuerteventura Majoreros, in Gran Canaria Canarios, in Tenerife Guanchen, in La Palma Benahoaritas, in La Gomera Gomeros and in El Hierro Bimbaches.
They lived at the Stone Age level in caves and fed on collected plants, cultivated cereals and legumes, products from animal husbandry, especially goats, and near the coast on fish and shellfish.
The conquest and thus the subjugation of the Canary Islands took place between 1403 and 1496 by the Spanish Crown.
La Palma has a total area of 718 square kilometres. Volcanic activity can still be seen in many places today, such as the Volcano Route on the Cumbra Vieja and the crater of the Caldera de Taburiente. With its striking relief, La Palma has the highest elevations in the world in relation to its surface area. The volcanic mountain range that extends over the whole island is over 2000 m high. The Roque de Muchachos is with 2426 m the highest mountain and after the Teide in Tenerife the second highest mountain of the archipelago. La Palma is also known as Isla Bonita = beautiful island and Isla Verde = green island, as it is the most wooded island with 40% of the forest cover compared to the other islands. It has retained its charm and original character, as mass tourism has disappeared.
Casa Salazar [3]
C.I. Bajada de la Virgen [4]
Iglesia de Santo Domingo [5]
Museo Germán González [6]
Teatro Circo de Marte [7]
San Sebastian y Ermita [8]
Plaza de España [9]
Iglesia de Salvador [10]
Ayuntamiento de La Palma [11]
Teatro Chico [12]
La Recova [13]
Plaza de Vandale [14]
Placeta de Borrero [15]
Balcones Tipícos [16]
Balcones Tipícos Casa Morales
Balcones Tipícos Casa Escobar
Plaza de San Francisco [17]
Museo Insular [19]
Plazuela Cruz Del Tecero [20]
Plaza de La Alameda [21]
Museo Barco De La Virgen [22]
Castillo de La Virgen [23]
Iglesia de la Encarnación [24]
Castillo de Santa Catalina [25]
They are now anchored in the harbour on the 5th largest island with 708 square kilometres. La Palma has a total of 83,000 inhabitants, 16,000 of whom live in the capital.
Past the tourist information [1], turn right at the end of the street and you will come to the Plaza de La Constitución with the main shopping street Calle O'Daly [2]. It is the lifeline of the oldtown of Santa Cruz de La Palma, also known since the earliest times as Calle Real- Royal Street and runs through the city from north to south, parallel to the coast. The street currently bears three different names: From the entrance of the city up to the Plaza de España, the section is called Calle O'Daly. In memory of the Irish businessman Dionisio O'Daly, the trustee of La Palma, whose legal action against the local council led to the island being the first administrative district in all of Spain where the Constitution was elected by census.
The second section of the street between the Plaza de España and the Plaza de la Cruz del Tercero is called Calle Pérez de Brito and reminds the lawyer of O'Daly, Anselmo Pérez de Brito.
The third section, the calle Dr. Pérez Camacho, ends in the Avenida de las Nieves and commemorates the famous Palmerian doctor and surgeon.
Now follow the road and you will see Casa Salazar [3] on the left side. It is the most important house that the Salazar family, who came from Burgos in northern Spain, owned on the island and was built between 1631 and 1642 by Ventura Salazar de Frias, Knight of the Order of Calatrava and Councillor of La Palma. The ashlars carved from stone reflect the baroque style of the house. The façade is adorned by a wrought-iron balcony with lateral columns, above which the family coat of arms, made of marble, can be seen between an open gable triangle.
The fascination of the old manor house is only revealed after entering the building. In the courtyard you can see the concentrated splendour of Mujader wooden ceilings, surrounding galleries and a construction that reflected absolute wealth even in those days. The island government bought and restored the building, which is currently used for insular conferences. There is a souvenir shop with certified handmade art in the entrance area on the right and left. 
Mon-Fri 9-14 and 16-21, Sat 9-14, closed on Sundays 
Free entry 
Calle O'Daly, 22 
The courtyard and the 1st floor are accessible, the upper part of the building is not accessible.
Optional: If you take the next left into Calle Apurón, you will come to the parallel street Virgen de La Luz with the following attractions: In the row of houses on the left side is the Centro de Interpretación Bajada de la Virgen [4] in house number 13. The new interpretation centre shows and explains the most important festival of the capital. Every 5 years, from June to August, Santa Cruz celebrates the Bajada de la Virgen de las Nieves, which is held in honour of the island's patron saint. In 1676, the islanders carried the statue of the Virgin of Las Nieves down to the city to implore the intercession of the Blessed Virgin, so that the terrible drought that the landscape, people and livestock had suffered for far too long would come to an end. Thus, Bishop García Ximénez issued the church decree that this pious act should be repeated every five years from 1680 onwards.
On the second Sunday in July, the Semana Grande, the great week of the Bajada, begins with the parade of the Mascarones, giants and pigheaded people who represent fairy tale characters such as the Bruja, the witch, and also current comic figures. Since 1945, Wednesday has been dedicated to the minuet, whose music was written by the Palmerian composer Luis Cobiella Cuevas. The dance event alludes to the pomp and elegance of the rococo style in the 18th century. The undeniable highlight of the fiesta takes place on Thursday of the same week with La Danza de los Enanos, the Dwarf Dance, whose origins date back to the Corpus Christi celebrations of 1833. At the end of the exhibition you can take an interactive photo of yourself which will automatically appear on the museum Facebook page. Mon-Fri 10-15, Sat 10-13, Sun closed € 4.50 Combination ticket with the Museo Naval € 7.00 Calle Virgen de La Luz, 13
Elevated on the left side is the square with the church Plaza e Iglesia de Santo Domingo [5]. At the confluence of Calle Virgen de la Luz and Calle Fernándes Ferraz, steps lead to the plaza, which is laterally dominated by 2 large Indian laurel trees. On the left, next to the two adjacent semicircular doors with a covered wooden balcony, is the Instituto de Enseñanza Secundaria, the College of Teacher Education. The church of Santo Domingo, which is located in the same façade on the right, is closed. During mass times, Flemish works of art from the 16th and 17th centuries, brought to the island by Dutch merchants, can be admired inside the church.
The Museo Educación- Germán González [6] is on the right-hand side. The Museum of Educational History pays homage to Germán González, the main proponent of public education in Santa Cruz, who died in 2011. In 2000, while still alive, he was awarded the important official Viera y Clavijo Prize. The premises present an old Canarian classroom with furniture, textbooks and educational material used in the 20th century. Mon-Fri 10-14 Free admission
Follow Calle Virgen de La Luz to the right and you will see the light blue and white building of the chapel-plaza San Sebastián y Ermita [8].