Introduction and Infrastructures,  526 Years of Experience

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria was founded the June 24th, 1478.

When the Spanish troops led by conqueror Juan Rejón sited a palm field on the right bank of the mouth of the Guiniguada ravine, where they set up their military quarters. In the zone around the present Ermita de San Antonio de Abad, in the district of Vegueta, the city had its origins. The civic centre was soon moved to the Plaza de Santa Ana, where the most important religious, administrative and political organisms in the archipelago were established. From the district of Vegueta, the city stretches along the district of Triana.
The old part of the city dates back to the 16th century and hardly underwent any change until the late 19th.

The first expansion and the attacks of pirates

Sugar cane exports stimulated the first important development of the city, turning it into an active commercial center. The riches from this trade drew the pirates sailing the dangerous oceans of that time.
In October 1595, the city managed to repel the attack of a large English fleet commanded by Francis Drake and John Hawkins. Four years later, in June 1599, the Dutch Van der Does and his squadron were the protagonists of one of the most
dramatic episodes in the history of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
They sacked and burnt the city.

The Puerto de La Luz and the contemporary city

A new rebirth took place in the second half of the 19th century. This time it was thanks to the cochineal trade and to the construction of the indisputable engine of the city: The Puerto de La Luz. In a few years time, what used to be a village became a trade center, a universal capital city opened to the entire world.

A new city center started to grow around the port. Las Palmas de Gran Canaria was about to undergo its great modern transformation. The port broadened the city's horizons. Its
construction caused a revaluation of its strategic location in the middle of the transatlantic trade routes. It also enabled an approximation to Europe, thus substantially increasing foreign trade.

Open and universal society

Since its very beginning the population of this city has been varied. Spaniards, Portuguese, Aragonese, Genoese, Frenchmen and Flemish settled on it in search of free and cultivable land. Since the discovery of America until well on into the seventieth century, it became a port of call for European merchants on the way to the Indies.

After the construction of the port of La Luz, the city became a real Tricontinental base where human crowds coming from everywhere in the world arrived. Nowadays the population of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is the result of its cosmopolitanism, a crucible full of races which have placed roots in an open and universal society.

Tourism: the last great stimulus

By 1950, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria experienced a tourist boom thanks to the charter flights arriving from northern Europe.

This quickly increasing boom led to renovation in several fields: urban, economic and social. A great tourist resort was built up around Las Canteras beach: modern hotels, tourist residences,
restaurants and entertainment places.

Economy based on services

Throughout its history, the city has shown its interest and wit in overcoming difficulties and achieving prosperity. Until the ninetieth century the economy of the municipality was mainly based on agriculture.

In the second half of the twentieth century a richer economy based on port activity, export of agricultural produce (tomatoes, bananas and other fruit and vegetables), trade and tourism was developed.

The present economy is mainly based on the service sector: trade, tourism and port activity .

The challenge of the new Century

Vitality, cosmopolitanism and entertaining nature are the three distinctive features of this city, which has been adapting its infrastructures to face the new millennium, ensuring the welfare of citizens and visitors.

Infrastructures

Nowadays, the city has four big hospitals administrated by the Public Health Service. Some private hospitals complete the public offer. Thanks to the continuous building of many teaching institutions the educational offer has been completed. Worthy of
note is the academic development which has taken place with the
construction of the University in the Campus de Tafira.

One of its important challenges is to become a cultural, trading
and professional European meeting point where congresses, seminars, international conferences and other similar events can be held.

This increasing demand has been met with a suitable infrastructure which fortunately includes the new Auditorium Alfredo Kraus-Canary Islands Convention Centre. This building has room for 1,656 people in its main hall and more than 2.292 in the others.

Other centers where to hold these kind of events can be held are the Palacio de Congresos Gran Canaria, which is situated inside the Canary Islands Trade Fair and has eight halls with room for 2,170 people.

The different hotels in the city have been adapting their infrastructures to meet this kind of tourism demand. Nowadays, important congresses are held in eleven hotels with room for amounts ranging between 15 and 450 seats.

The city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria offers a wide range of lodging facilities, including three five-star hotels totalling 738 rooms; six four-star hotels, summing 981 rooms; and three-star hotels which have 337 rooms.