ARCHIVO HISTÓRICO DE TEGUISE / RICARDO TERRADES Created by: www.unamoscaenmisopa.com Text: Ricardo Terrades Art Direction: Pablo Pulella Layout and design: Enrique Presa Photographs: Perico Terrades Translations: Glosalia Supervision: Archivo Histórico de Teguise Impresión: Plan B Ayuntamiento de Teguise Avenida General Franco, 1 35530 Teguise T. 0034 928 845 001 Oficina Municipal de Costa Teguise Avenida de las Islas Canarias, C.C. Los Charcos, local 11-13. 35508 Costa Teguise T. 0034 928 827130 B-7496-2009 Este libro que tiene entre sus manos pretende ser una guía para el visitante al municipio de Teguise. A través de sus páginas, le explicaremos todo lo que usted necesita saber sobre Teguise, daremos un repaso a su historia, visitaremos pueblo por pueblo, verá la gran variedad de playas y de actividades que pueden realizarse, etc. Esta publicación ha sido creada por personas que son de aquí y que les enorgullece dar a conocer el lugar en el que viven y han crecido. Sólo así, se puede lograr transmitir un punto de vista personal y muy cercano a la realidad del lugar. Tanto la redac- ción del texto, como el diseño de sus páginas y las fotografías quieren comunicar la esencia de Teguise en todo su esplendor y abarcando toda su magnitud. Esperamos que si aún no conoce Teguise, estas páginas le transmitan todo lo necesario para visitarnos y si ya ha estado en nuestro municipio, tal vez hayamos conseguido sorprenderle de algún modo, enseñándole facetas que desconocía o imáge- nes que le cautiven. Ahora el viaje está a punto de comenzar. Pase la página y acér- quese a Teguise, nosotros le estamos esperando. HISTORY 10 THE “LA REAL VILLA DE TEGUISE” 12 THE “PUEBLO A PUEBLO” ROUTE 22 THE “CÉSAR MANRIQUE” ROUTE 28 THE “LAS PLAYAS” ROUTE 36 THE “LA GRACIOSA” ROUTE 42 MARKETS 50 SPORTS AND LEISURE 52 GASTRONOMY 56 PEOPLE AND TRADITIONS 60 EVENTS 64 HISTORY 10 11 Teguise is one of the seven municipalities that the island of Lanzarote is divided into today, and it is without a doubt the one that enjoys the richest his- tory and traditions. Lanzarote was the first island in the Canary Islands archipelago to be explored by European seafarers, probably because it is the northernmost of the islands and the closest to the continent. Between 1320 and 1339, the Italian seafarer Lancelotto Malocello arrived at Lanzarote and gave it his name. In 1402, the Frenchman Jean de Béthencourt arrived and defeated Guadarfía, the Guanche king, or Mencey, of the island. And so Lanzarote became the first annexed island of the Kingdom of Castile, coming under its rule and vas- salage. What we know of today as the Real Villa de Teguise stands above the Gran Aldea of the majos of Lanzarote (the former inhabitants of the island) which, according to Viera y Clavijo, the natives called “Acatife”. The place received the name of Teguise in honour of Princess Teguise, daughter of King Guad- arfía and wife of Maciot de Béthencourt, the nephew of Jean de Béthencourt. The city enjoyed prosperity and rapid economic growth, which made it the tar- get of numerous attacks by pirates, privateers and criminals during the 16th and 17th centuries. Teguise as seen from the interior of the Castle of Santa Bárbara Convent of San Francisco THE “LA REAL VILLA DE TEGUISE” ROUTE 12 13 Real Villa de Teguise is the heart of the municipality the square was very similar to that of today and the and, thanks to its historical legacy, it has been de- two statues of lions, designed by Francisco Spínola, clared a national heritage site. Teguise is possibly the had also been incorporated. Around the 1940s, the best-preserved historic centre in all of the Canary Is- fountain was added, as well as the benches made us- lands, since it did not undergo any major alterations ing Arucas stone, with Luís Ramírez González being in the 19th and 20th centuries. The precarious eco- the main contributor. nomic situation of this municipality at the beginning of modern times and the impact of the discontent 2. PALACIO SPÍNOLA caused by its losing the status of island capital to Ar- This building is situated in the Plaza de la Constituci- recife, in 1852, led to a terrible downturn in the local ón and is considered to be one of the most important economy, causing it to miss the train of urban reno- constructions of its type in the Canary Islands. It is a vation projects and other contemporary movements stately home which, with its facade alone - the stair- which, had they taken hold on the town, would have way leading up to the oversized doorway and the had devastating effects upon its original buildings. six lintelled windows - announces the architectural Teguise today, and especially since the munici- might contained within its walls. Of particular inter- pality has been blessed by tourism’s arrival to the est are its structure, its rough stone roof above the area, continues to fight to stop any changes being beams, the kitchen, the chapel, and the courtyards, made to its streets, which have, interestingly, be- complete with cisterns. It was the home of the Feo come one of the island’s top cultural attractions. As Peraza family from the beginning of the 18th cen- such, a stroll through Teguise in the 21st century is tury and was previously known as “La casa de las the closest one can get in the Canary Islands to step- inquisidoras”, as it was once the headquarters of the ping back in time to when our grandparents were still Tribunal of the Holy Office, more commonly known as young. Villa de Teguise has been able to preserve a the Spanish Inquisition. In the latter half of the 20th taste of the genuinely antique. century, a descendent of the Feo family, Adelina Feo Curbelo, entered into wedlock with Ángel Spínola Can- 1. PLAZA DE LA CONSTITUCIÓN cio, with this event marking the first time that this Also known as Plaza de San Miguel, this square is lo- surname appears in connection to the house’s histo- cated right in the centre of Teguise, and is presided ry. In the seventies it was worked on by the architect over by Lanzarote’s main church, dedicated to Our Fernando Higueras and decorated by José Domíngu- Lady of Guadalupe. The square was reworked by Leon- ez del Río and César Manrique, and was declared the ardo Torriani in around 1590, and again by Pedro del official residence of the Canary Island government in Castillo, in 1686. Following a series of improvements, 1989. Today, it is also a museum, managed by the by the beginning of the 20th century the structure of Teguise ayuntamiento (local council). Plaza de la Constitución 3. LA CILLA no windows and with only stone seats, built into 5. CALLEJÓN DE LA SANGRE sure that the water was used wisely. The boundaries After the conquest and up until the first half of the the walls. Thanks to its age, it has borne witness Located to the northeast of the parish church, this of the Mareta were extended and reinforced over the 19th century, Lanzarote was a feudal island. In ad- to much of Teguise’s long history of looting, arson was once a natural course for the waters that ran years. This was not the only one of these structures, dition to the feudal taxes, the inhabitants also had and violence. Having been consolidated with three along the cliff of Miraflores towards the Mareta. The but it was the most highly prized one, both for its size to pay the clergy a tithe, that is, ten percent of what naves since the 18th century, it was once again set street owes its current name (Blood Alley in English) and for its location in Teguise, the island’s principal they made each year from farming and harvests. The fire to in 1909, and promptly rebuilt thanks to public to the violent raid, in September 1569, from northern settlement. Since the area was connected to the yielded cereals were stored in these granaries, named donations. In 1914, bishop Ángel Marquina Corrales Africa, led by the pirate Calafat, when the town suf- public water network, in the second half of the 20th cillas, and Teguise benefitted greatly from the fact blessed the church. In its last intervention, another fered looting, fires and kidnappings. Although in many century, the mareta fell into disuse and was subse- that it held the most important granary on the island, section was added to the tower, thus making it the places these scenes were impossible to prevent, on quently sold off, and its infrastructure dismantled. especially on a cereal-rich island such as Lanzarote. tallest architectural element in Teguise and the re- this street the invaders were forced back, chalking up All that remains today is its place name, although it The building’s construction dates back to 1680, and ligious centrepiece of the island of Lanzarote. The a victory for the local people of Villa de Teguise. was declared a National Heritage site in 1976, when is the work of the master builder Marcial Sánchez. In granite elements (holy water stoup, font, pulpit and it had already disappeared. 1986, a banking group paid for its restoration, led by part of the choir) were made by the local artist Juan 6. LA MARETA César Manrique, and it was turned into a branch of the Hernández Pérez, whilst the altarpieces and the can- La Mareta de la Villa has its origins in the island’s abo- 7. ERMITA DE LA VERACRUZ 15 bank, whilst conserving its original structure.