Municipality of Teguise Lanzarote.

Although Teguise ceased to be the capital of Lanzarote in 1852, its seignioral air and the beauty of its architecture remind us of its noble past at every moment. Teguise's main feature is its unequalled nobility, its old convents and its regal palaces, which make the town that givesits name to the entire municipal area a veritable museum of religious and civil architecture. It is one of the oldest historic localities of the Canary Islands which is easily distinguished by its narrow, cobbled streets, lined with building with wide windows, carved balconies and stone facades. The fact that many of the original buildings, monuments and works of art have disappeared due to the repeated attcks by pirates, (which took place during the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries) does not deprive the municipal capital of even the smallest part of its beauty. Although it is almost impossible to enumerate the monuments which are worthy of being visited in this area, we mention: The Palace of the Spindola, Castle of Santa Barbara, situated on the Mountain of Guanapay, which was built in the sixteenth century and is enclaved in the volcano of the same name: the hermitage of San Rafael, the Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and the convent of the Franciscans of Miraflores, where a fine carving, probably of genovese origin, is preserved. The convent of Santo Domingo and and the Temple of Veracruz are other religious buildings which must be visited. Teguise is the largest municipality in extension of the island, and like Yaisa and Haría, has a sea front on both sides of the island. The east coast is low with many beaches and small coves and promontories, although in some stretches we can see low cliffs. Thius part of the municipal area is known as "Costa Teguise" (Teguise Coast) where a large tourist urbanization exists today. The northwest coast has two very differentiated sections: one, low and sandy which corresponds to Penedo Bay, bordered by the white, wide beach of Famara, and the other, high and rocky, of spectacular beauty, in relation with the volcanos of Soo, one of the villages which forms parts of the municipal area. As regards the west coast, here the islets of La Graciosa and Alegranza are situated, which are dependent on the municipality. La Graciosa is the only one which is habited and although fishing is the main occupation, the fact is, that there is an ever-growingnumber of tourists who visit its beaches and their transparent waters. La Alegranza is considerably smaller than La Graciosa, almost half its size, and its only habitant is a lighthouse. A strange and unusual place is the "jameo de las Palomas", a deep entry in the south of the volcanic system called " La Caldera" (the Cauldron). Small boats can enter it, as its interior is navigable and it has acces to the island of "El veril" a place where many visitors disembark. Also of interres is the important archeological deposits of "Zanzamas", with cyclopean alignments and constructions.

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