Castle of Saint José. lt was built in 1779 choosing for such purpose a promontory of 8 m. Above sea level. It was projected by engineer Alfonso Ochando in times of Charles III. It has a semicircular plan on a base of ashlars of basaltic stone and mortar. It consists of two storeis, and due to the difference of the land. the main facade is in the upper floor. To enter. it is nccessary to overcome a moat through a drawbridge that opens the way to a great room with barrel vault. From this room another similar one can be reached, superimposed to this, through a stairway. For another stairway located in front of the previous one you ascend to the terrace. Next to these naves thcre are other smaller outbuildings dedicated to the warehouse. gunpowder deposils, dungeons, and a reservoir. In this building, after the reformation and adaptalion in 1979, the lnternational Museum of Contemporary Art was located. In this reformation an annex dedicated to bar restaurant can be reached tl'om an interior stairway opened up by the reservoir; its wide windows opens to Naos and Los Marmoles ports.

In lhe interior, international artists' pictorial and sculptural works can be contemplated. It has 5 rooms. The main one is an auditory for the performance of chamber and contemporary music concerts. The 4 remaining rooms are located in the upper level. It can be visited every day from 11:00 to 21:00 h. Address: Puerto Naos s/n. 35.500 Arrecife.

Castle of Saint Gabriel. lt was began to be built in 1573 by Agustin de Herrera y Rojas command, being the captain's design Gaspar Salcedo. At the beginning it was an outpost with a square plan with tour ramparts of diamond tip in their angles and woodent interior distribution. It was built in 1546 by the Algerian pirate Arráel Amurat who set the castle on fire before beginning the invasion on the island. From then the islet is called El Qucmado (the Burned). In 1590, king Felipe II ordered lhe Canary Islands' defense to an Italian engineer, Leonardo Torriani. He restructured the old fort and united the ramparts with a continuing wall with the purpose of enlarging the esplanade or square of arms. Between both walls are stufled with rubbish that have been taken out nowadays in the restoration works, what is now a corridor around the castle. Also it counts with a room for the troop. a room for arms, a warehouse of gunpowder, and two reservoirs, everything with barrel vault. The castle was fínished in 1599.

The aecess to the castle was throughout the Bridge of Las Bolas, also projected by Torriani.

During the XIX century some repair works were made. Two canyons with 24 caliber which today are placed in the entrance. Starting from 1972 it was restored definitively transforming it into the Archaeological and Etnographic Museum. Pieces are distributed in six rooms in an irregular way. The schedule of' visits is from Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 15:00 h.

Casa Agustín de la Hoz (Agustín de la Hoz's House). Changed into a Culture House. It is a perfect example ofthe residential architecture of Lanzarole. It can be visited from Monday to Friday to 9:00 to 13:00 and from 17:00 to 20:00 h. Avenue of Cieneralisimo Franco, 7. It has 3 projection rooms and an exhibition room with 300 paintings.

Church of Saint Ginés. It was fínished in 1665 and later on it had several reformations. Churches are a good criterion for the growth of the city. It highlights its organ of tubcs and its good acousties tor the celebration of concerts (coral and camera music). We can also contemplate the image of Saint Ginés, and Virgin of El Rosario (sculpture brought from Cuba by an anonymous captain). the Christ's image, and a great painting of Animas (Souls). It is finished off by a bell tower with three bodies ended by a hood and a wind vane.

Casa de los Arroyos (Arroyos' House). Also called Colonel Armas' House. It was built in 1739 by Domingo Armas Belhencourt. ship-owner and military governor of Lanzarote. His son inherited the house and later on his granddaughter' who married a member of the Arroyos' family. The architectural style is late and it represents the domestic architecture of that time, being a clear exponent of the oldest constructions of the city. Only a part of the original building is contemplated today. The rest has been left to ruin by segregations of family inheritances.

History | General Data