The Maspalomas Lighthouse, the most emblematic of Gran Canaria, has reopened its doors this Thursday rehabilitated after a decade closed to the public and with the aim of being the guardian of the history of the island, through an ethnographic center and the light that guide residents and visitors.
In a statement, the Cabildo de Gran Canaria emphasizes that it has recovered this famous building - granted by the Port Authority of Las Palmas - one of the oldest lighthouses in the Canary Islands, still in operation and declared a Site of Cultural Interest.
For this, an island investment of 1.4 million euros has been required, so that citizens can once again visit the rooms designed by the Teldean engineer Juan León y Castillo 135 years ago.
This 58-meter-high tower, which was illuminated for the first time in 1890 to guide the ships that sail the Atlantic, and whose annex building was conceived as the home of the lighthouse keepers, shines again in all its splendor, almost 130 years then.
The opening ceremony brought together the president of the Cabildo, Antonio Morales, the Minister of Crafts, Minerva Alonso, and the president of the Port Authority, Juan José Cardona.
The maximum island leader expressed his satisfaction not only for recovering this historical monument, which is one of the symbols of Gran Canaria for citizen enjoyment, but because his mission from now on will be to offer a journey through five centuries of the island's history and to be a showcase of its products, culture and landscapes.
"We want it to symbolize the union of our rich history and the hopeful future that Gran Canaria has if we sail together in the conservation of the treasures that we enjoy," said Morales.
This lighthouse will house a tourist office and a handicraft shop on the ground floor and on the first floor an ethnographic center that will cover the 15th to the 20th century, from Aboriginal times and the writings made by travelers who passed through the Canary Islands and described the craft trades on the island to a more modern society with tourism as the backbone.
The Maspalomas Lighthouse is in the tourist epicenter of Gran Canaria, so this cultural space will complement the offer of sun and beach and allow tourists to learn about the traditions through the island's artisan production, with photographs, audios and videos in the background documentary of the Fedac.
The enclosure not only has an elevator to make it accessible, but it has also been designed so that it can accommodate school visits. In addition, the enclosure of plates in the interior patio was eliminated and replaced by a skylight that illuminates the enclosure.
The works, which were not without setbacks due to the appearance of termites - forced to modify the initial project - have also made it possible to rehabilitate the roof, which will be used as a viewpoint to contemplate the views of the sea, the Maspalomas palm grove and the mountain .
As of this Friday, the Maspalomas Lighthouse can be visited free of charge by the public from 10 am to 5 pm.
Until the museum project is awarded and executed, it will host an exhibition of artisan trades with the rural houses of Gran Canaria as a backdrop to show different rooms and annexes such as porch and oven, as well as objects of daily use until the middle of the 20th century. .
Contemporary products from the textile sector will also be exhibited inspired by traditional artisan techniques made in a Fedac workshop that aims to provide artists with new tools for creation. To this is added a 1930s dollhouse with 17 rooms.
'Maspalomas y tú' together with 'Sombras del Nublo' were the most emblematic songs with which Pedro Manuel Afonso and Judith Pessoa, along with timplist Germán López and musicians from the Gran Canaria Philharmonic Orchestra, delighted the audience this Thursday.
The fireworks and the local wine culminated a day to mark on the calendar as the day on which Gran Canaria recovered this jewel of its historical heritage for the population.
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