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To
mention Arrecife, is not only to speak of the capital of Lanzarote
or the main locality of Lanzarote's smallest municipality,
but also of the chain of small islands which flanks its. What
gives the area most character is the coast line which small
islets, most of which become covered during high tide. "Las
Cruces" is a long island which lies parallel to the coast
and which protects the port of Naos. It is one of the most
interesting of these small islands. |
Then comes "El Frances",
a high wide islet surroundded by several "bajas" (depressions)
called "perejil", "pasadizo" or "pasadero"
and the pared. The most important is however, the islet of San Gabriel
or "del Castillo" which supports the Arrecife Quay with
its castle built by the Herrera, former lords of the islands, in
the sixteenth century and then reconstructed, after its destruction
by Morato Arráez, in the eighteenth century, for the purpose
of prot acting the capital from the Barbary pirates. lts joined
to the city by a drawnbridge, populary known as "de las Bolas".
At present it is the island's archeological museum.
Further to the west we find the islet
of Fermina, which lies parallel to the coast and the "Playa
del Reducto". The group of reefs constitues a singular landscape
which attains its maximum splendour on the arrival of the fishing
fleet, making a scene of incomparabale beauty.
The capital, astride the two most
important tourist centres next to the port and very near the airport,
concentrates more than half the population which is nourished by
the incomparable supply of fish to be found along the coast.
Among places which must be visit
we mention the Castle of San José, seat of the Contempory
Art Museum which contains works by Piscasso, Miro, Mompó
and César Menrique among many other painters and sculptors
from all over the world.
This fortress is situated in the
east, on a small cliff, and houses different receational installations
with a view of the port of Naos and that of the Marbles.
Another places of unusual interest
is the "Charco de San Gines" (San Ginés Pool) where
the water enters the land and where the hermitage was built, around
which was formed the first nucleous of fishermen' s cottages.This
village has changed progressively, but still preserves its fishing
village atmosphere.
In Arrecife we can also admire the
old straigth "calle real" (Royal Road) which leads to
the Avenida Marítima, where we find the municipal park. |