San Bartolomé de Tirajana

In Gran Canarias, in San Bartolmé de Tirajana you will find one of the most spectacular and beautiful places of the Canarian archipelago, the Maspalomas Dunes. This part of the island is also known for having the Playa del Ingles, the Maspalomas Lighthouse and Meloneras, but they are undoubtedly the dunes which makes this point one of the most visited in Gran Canaria. The good weather is a constant in the southern part of the island, so it is perfect to enjoy the Natural Reserve of the Dunes of Maspalomas. This reserve is formed by three different ecosystems, the Palmeral, the Pond and the Dunes, three zones that form a natural space of incalculable value. The Dunes of Maspalomas has about 400 hectares, is a place of contrasts where the golden sand collides with the blue waters that bathe the coast. In addition, we must highlight the amount of wildlife that pass through the Natural Reserve, Storks, Common Redfish, Common Coot, Chorlitejo Chico, Pinto Starling, Pipit Caminero, Turkish Tortoise, other migratory bird species such as Common Flamingo, Common Egret, Great Gray Heron, Hoopoe, Whimbrel, Tridactyl Sandpiper, Vuelvepiedras and reptiles such as the Giant Lizard of Gran Canaria or Perenquén de Boettger.

The Maspalomas Lighthouse is one of the best-known elements of the southern landscape of Gran Canaria. It excels over the buildings of the area and the palm grove that is around it. The Maspalomas Lighthouse was built by the engineer Juan León y Castillo, has two different parts, one the lighthouse tower itself, while the other On the other side we have the house of the bullfighter. The property has a rectangular floor plan and is inspired by Canarian courtyards. The Faro was put into operation on February 1, 1890, it is a truncated cone with a diameter of about 6.2 meters and a height that exceeds 54 meters. It has a classic shaft design whose section decreases as it approaches its capital with topped with rings and muti. The environment of the lighthouse is also a very prominent place, the building is situated at the end of the well-known beach of Maspalomas, very close to the dune, puddle and oasis field of the same name. It is the busiest tourist area of this part of the island of Gran Canarias. Such is its value that El Faro is recognized as Good of General Interest as well as being one of the oldest operating lighthouses in the archipelago.

San Bartolomé de Tirajana has one of the most modern temples in the Canary Islands, known as Ecumenical Temple El Salvador an important artistic, symbolic and monumental content. The first thing that strikes the attention of this religious building is the exterior architectural structure, in the front part there is a large metal grating that can also be found on the sides and the perimeter of the interior patio. This grid imitates tubes of broken organs and symbolizes the broken harmony of the church and was designed by the artist José Abad, also a monolith in the temple is his work. Once admired the exterior of the facade, the interiors of the Ecumenical Temple El Salvador also stand out for the important artistic works that form it. The stained glass windows by Juan Antonio Giraldo, together with the rock that serves as an altar, are two of the elements that attract the most attention. In addition, special mention should be made of Christ, the iron monolith of the atrium that wants to represent the firmness and depth of faith. The temple is located at Avenida de Italia, one of the busiest places in the municipality.

San Bartolome de Tirajana has several temples or churches, one of them is the Church of San Bartolomé. This parish consists of three naves, began to be built in 1690, although its consecration did not occur until 300 years later, already in the twentieth century, specifically in 1922. Of its interiors it is important to highlight its wooden vaults with a clear Mudejar style led by the main altarpiece with the image of San Bartolomé which is located right in the center of the altarpiece, in the kiss is another size, that of Santiago "El Chico" flanked by Santiago "El Grande" and the Virgen del Rosario. The Church of San Bartolomé de Tirajana also highlights windows, covered with stained glass windows whose splendor is possible to admire from within. What makes this place especially interesting is that on Sundays it is possible to attend the temple and then visit the market that is installed in its surroundings and You can also take advantage of Also to visit another church nearby, the Church of Santiago de Tunte.

Fataga is a locality that is located in the valley of the same name and belongs to the municipality of San Bartolomé de Tirajana. This population center is characterized by being one of the points of the islands where more perseverance is about protecting the typical Canarian buildings, for this reason it has a candidacy of World Heritage. Fataga is an aboriginal name, during the pre-Hispanic era the population of the area was linked to the exploitation of the resources offered by the ravine of the same name next to the ramp of

The natural sites that offer San Bartolomé de Tirajana always have an impressive and surprising beauty. One of the ravines and places through which some of the most complete routes on the island run is the Barranco de la Data, along the route you can also find the Presas de Ayagaures and Gambuesa. This ravine is one of the few in the area that have water throughout the year and during the 20 kilometers of the ravine you can see the Palmitos Park, Monte León and La Data Mountain . The landscape set of the ravine is dominated by stone elements, highlighting the culminations of slopes in the shape of a knife, other residual forms and a great development of the slopes. To be able to see green areas or with a green blanket it is necessary to visit it during the rainy season although it is not the general trend. Despite this there are areas where you can find pines, dragon trees and other tree species, specifically in the bottom of the ravine you can see some palm trees always in the area of the dam

The Pilancontes Natural Park located in the town of San Bartolomé de Tirajana, is designated as a protected area in 1987, an area of ecological sensitivity with " reasons for prevention of ecological impact ". The Natural Park of Pilancones houses the public mounts of Ayagaures and Pilancones, is bordered by the Parque Rural de Nublo and the Protected Landscape of Fataga and in turn houses the area of special protection for birds. Due to its special characteristics, the Pilancontes Natural Park plays an important role in soil protection and aquifer recovery. One of the most interesting spots in the natural area is the pine forest of the Canarian variety located in the highest part, a very favorable place for the poultry populations, hence it is in a zone of special protection for birds. In the lower parts the main flora is dominated by cardonal and tabaibals. The park has dimensions exceeding 5,700 hectares, has deep ravines and narrow interfluves, it is possible to find endemic species in danger of extinction and important archaeological sites such as the Necropolis Tumular of Arteara.

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