GEOGRAPHICAL DATA:

Surface: 135,92 square kilometers.

19,19% of the island of La Palma.

Altitude: 644 meters (municipal capital) .1.050 meters (El Barrial). - 350 meters (Triana).

Distance by Highway: 25 kilometers to Santa Cruz de La Palma.

- " For the use and consumption of the population exist waters of excellent quality, that come of the immediate mountains, having next to that a wooded of heathers, ash-trees and white stick, that serves as ride for the recreation of its inhabitants (...).

The formed area largely of slope and of dryness, as a rule it is of good quality having a mountain that masters the populated forest village with wooded of heathers, acebuches, you may have, aceviños, brooms and pines; in many points of its jurisdiction is furthermore fruit-bearing trees, as peartrees, apple trees, fig-trees, berry-bushes, chestnut-colored, vides, almond-trees and quinces

(Madoz, Geographical Dictionary - Estadís, 1845-1850).

In this municipality is found La Caldera, ancient kingdom of the great benahorita hero Tanausú, call Steeled by the aboriginess, that means strong place. Also in him is found the famous source of el Pino, where is yielded the famous commander in May of 1493, ending thus the conquest of the Island.

It is not known with accuracy the origin of its name, though evidently takes issue with a place of step, perhaps by the many that there is to communicate different parts of the island.

The parochial church, devoted to Nuestra Señora de Bonanza, began being hermitage, until in 1860 was erected parochial church, subsidiary of that of Los Llanos. To instances of the neighbors, in 1885 was achieved that it would be independent.

Administrativament, El Paso was belonging to the jurisdiction of Los Llanos, being only a payment of this after the Constitution of 1812. The neighbors request to constitute their own town hall, what accedes the Provincial Delegation in 1835. It was prospering the municipality and in reason to its increase in population and development in its wealth, is conceded to it the Village title in March of 1878, reaching the city category, through decree of Alfonso XIII, in 1910.

The archaeologic deposits attest the aboriginal presence in La Caldera de Taburiente.

In the religious architecture emphasizes the hermitage of Nuestra señora de la Concepción de Bonanza, founded by the ensign Salvador Fernández in the century XVIII. In its interior can envisage a beautiful coffer in the one which are combined Mudejar elements with baroque, as well as its curious cover of the ground in gray quarry rock.

Also one must to cite the hermitage of San Nicolás de Bari, in Las Manchas.

As civil building deserves special mention the casona of the cited ensign Salvador Fernández; restored recently counts on beautiful examples of the characteristic balconies of the island; one of them, possesses two gates, of those which an is destined to communicate with the little balcony that gives on the upstairs that goes to the entry.

As in many more municipalities of the islands, the basic economic activity of El Paso is the agriculture.

Located in mean field - high, is not devoted but exceptionally to the cultivation of irrigable of export, being its principal dryness productions.

The products in these last lands are fundamentally the vineyards, the tuneras and vegetables, followed to great distance by fruit-bearing. In the lands of irrigable are obtained bananas, potatoes, fruits, tobacco and flowers.

Has also certain importance the cattle-raising, above all in the north of the municipality.

One must to cite finally the factorage that has established here a multinational tobacco, giving work to an important collective.

The vastest of the municipalities palmeros, it is also the only one that it does not has coast, occupying the center of the island and adjoining with all the municipalities, except with Tazacorte.

Three are the units of the relief that are emphasized: La Caldera, La Cumbre Nueva and La Cumbre Vieja.

La Caldera, supposes a wide depression, of erosive origin, with a perimeter of some 28 kilometers and a diameter that reaches 10 kilometers. While its fund is located on 600-900 mts. on the level of the sea, the combs that surround it peak in 2.426 mts. of the Roque de los Muchachos. Tremendous erosion labor has arrived to make visible the materials of the Complex Basal (with marine sediments or lavas almohadilladas) or it has sculpted numerous rooks. Abound in its interior the springs, that give cause for creeks, that vacate its waters by the ravine of The Distresses. Southward of La Caldera, and to manner of great wall, is continued La cumbre nueva, formed, in spite of its name, by material more ancient than the following southern section. Westward, it framed by the foreign wall of La Caldera, with the peak Bejenado, and the La Cumbre Vieja, appears the call Valle de Aridane, where is located the municipal capital.

La Cumbre Vieja, continuation southward, of the dorsal central of the island, offers areas of recent volcanic activity, with several historical episodes: Montaña Quemada (1470), Tahuya (1585), El Charco (1712), San Juan (1949).

The climatic features of the municipality, show the variety derived from its longitudinal form and

its different altitudes. While the north-east sector (Cumbre Nueva) is seen labeled by the influence of the trade, that is going reducing while is walked southward, in the western area is noticeable the existence of the effect foëhn, with the loss of the dampness of the winds that descend from the summits. As far as it is concerned, the heights that surround La Caldera introduce some greater rigors.

In this way, the vegetable cover more representative is the pinegrove, that has its shows more relevant in La Caldera. Areas of green forest appear in the influence fields of the trade. Furthermore, the dryness cultivation are alternated with the natural and wide vegetation spaces appear recent lava covers.

The National Park of La Caldera de Taburiente, supposes an area of special natural value, that joins to its exceptional geomorfology, the bulk of preserved better pinegrove of the Archipelago, as well as an interesting fauna, in addition to archaeologic deposits.

It can be stayed in its interior, requesting the corresponding permit of camped. One of the better looking from the foreign, it is La Cumbrecita.

The Natural Park of El Barranco de las Angustias, constitutes the natural continuation of La Caldera. Great collector by where drains this depression, that adds a its paisajistic value, so meaningful elements as the materials of the Complex Basal (case of the lavas almohadilladas) or important show of vegetation forest.

The Natural Park of La Cumbre Vieja and Teneguía, supposes in this municipality the incorporation of the southern extreme of La Cumbre Vieja and of a historical eruptions succession, of great volcanologic interest. El Pilar is a recreational area and of camped (previous permit of the Viceconsejería de medio ambiente), to the one which is acceded by the track that is going of El Paso to San Isidro.

One of the most relevant elements of the palm crafts is the silk. In El Paso is conserved this secular tradition, using in its production the same rudimentary appliances, that were managed in first half of the century XVI. The long and complex process is begun with the seed (eggs of the butterfly), that then give cause for the insects (worms), that they have of be fed with leaves of berry-bush or mulberry. Once it made the cocoon, is drawn the silk before the twenty days or is drowned the chrysalis. Continues a laborious work, that is going from the drawn from the silk, its preparation to carry to the telar and the confection of the fabric.

Among the holidays, they can be indicated that of Heart of Jesus, the second June Sunday, for the one which are made showy carpets and that of the Virgin of El Pino, the first September Sunday.

Product of the cleanliness of the malpaíses, for power to cultivate, they are crushes them us of stones, wrong called pyramids, interest etnographic constructions.

Carnival Mars and 4 of September: Holiday of El Pino.