Las Palmas

Composition[edit]

It consists of about half of the Atlantic archipelago, including the islands of Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, and Lanzarote, as well as another six minor isles (Alegranza, Graciosa, Montaña Clara, Lobos, Roque del Este, and Roque del Oeste). Their total land area is 4,065.78 km² (1,569.8 sq mi), representing 54.6% of the Canary Islands' total land. (The other half of the archipelago is the Province of Santa Cruz.)

General view[edit]

Its capital is the city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (commonly known as Las Palmas), on the island of Gran Canaria, which is also one of the capitals of the autonomous community (next to Santa Cruz de Tenerife). About 38.5% of the provincial population of 1,011,928 (2005) live in the capital. However, the official name of the city is Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, whereas the province is called Las Palmas. Nevertheless, both names are usually misused.[citation needed] There are 34 municipalities in the province; see List of municipalities in Las Palmas.

Las Palmas contains the Parque Nacional Timanfaya on the island of Lanzarote.

License plates in the province used to start with "GC", which referred to the island of Gran Canaria, although the same plates were also issued in Lanzarote and Fuerteventura.

Main sights (Gran Canaria)[edit]

Bandama Caldera (Bandama Natural Monument) in Santa Brígida, Las Palmas is part of the Tafira Protected Landscape. It's considered a point of geological interest, because of the Caldera de Bandama. This volcanic caldera reaches 569 m (1,867 ft) above sea level at the highest point on its rim, Pico de Bandama, and is about 1,000 m (3,300 ft) wide and 200 m (660 ft) deep. The steep walk to the bottom of the caldera takes about half an hour. Volcanic ash of different hues is in great abundance, and there are some interesting botanic species of Canary Islands origin. There are facilities for food and refreshments as well.

Archaeological sites in Santa Brígida. In the valley of La Angostura and Las Meleguinas can find numerous traces of Aboriginal canaries that have prompted the declaration of the area as a Cultural, as groups of caves carved into rock, silos or sidewalks. In the archaeological site of El Tope, discovered on 16 July 1988, where you can see remnants that suggest the existence of an aboriginal burial mound, as well as ceramics, pottery and curious pintaderas.[1][2] En la pared norte de la Caldera de Bandama se encuentra la Cueva de los Canarios, utilizada por los aborígenes como granero. It has been discovered Libyan-Berber inscriptions and some vessels (which are now in the Museo Canario).[1][2] Also in the same area in the wall of the volcano in the stew is the Cueva de Los Frailes was discovered in 1933 a set of 37 caves.[2]

Church

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