Fuencaliente of La Palma

LA PALMA

Index: Geographical data Demographic Evolucion Historical summary Cultural interest visits Economy Geographical aspects Natural interest visits Popular culture Local FESTIVITIES

GEOGRAPHICAL DATA:

Surface: 56,41 square kilometers.

7,96% of the island of La Palma.

Altitude: 700 meters (Los Canarios or Fuencaliente, municipal capital). - 750 meters (El Charco). - 430 meters (Los Quemados).

Distance by highway: 28 kilometers to Santa Cruz de La Palma.

DEMOGRAPHIC EVOLUTION:

- " southerner Vertex, Fuencaliente registers in its skin the lion's share of the historical eruptions of La Palma, the privilege of its landsscape and of some wines, whose reputation exceeded the Canarias frontiers and of Spain.

In 1646 a volcano buried the Fuente Santa, thermal waters spring known and reputed by Christian and people of Berbería, from remote times. In 1971, the Volcano Teneguía, the penultimate - - nobody would use other adjective - - eruption in land canaria, put again on Europe lips the name of Fuencaliente of La Palma.

The vineyards that climb from the navy until be entangled in the struggle by the space with the pinegroves

(...) they are the responsible of the fragrant malvasía. " -

(Album of Canarias, 1986).

HISTORICAL SUMMARY

When Alonso Fernández of Lugo conquest the island in 1493, the current municipal term of Fuencaliente was the cantón of Abenguareme, coming its current denomination of the source of thermal water that were found in the proximities of Puerto Nuevo.

Field flogged by the frequent pirate raids, its distance of the capital was forcing it to a defense almost in solitary. The other scourge constitute it the volcanoes that reiterately they have budded in this part of the island.

From before of the year 1576, counting on a hermitage devoted to San Antonio Abad that it was many years covered of tables, without tiles and without whitewashing. The neighbors of Fuencaliente requested

sir bishop Luis Folgueras, during his pastoral visit, the erection in parish of its hermitage, what the prelate acceded 29 of July of 1832.

The constitution of the municipality is coming to end in February of 1837 to petition of the neighbors, who requested of the authority its separation of the Mazo´s payment, to which was belonging Fuencaliente. The cited motives were the distance that was separating them and that was preventing them to accede with facility to indispensable social services, and the capacity for the maintenance of a municipality.

CULTURAL INTEREST VISITS

One must to emphasize, in the first place, the engravings of pre-Hispanic origin found in the Roque of Teneguía.

Then it deserves be cited the church of San Antonio Abad, that date of the century XVI, construction with whitewashed hemp roof, with a beautiful reed-mace of quarry rock. In its interior are preserved some interest heights: Christ of the Burial, a Nazareno, the group of the Calvario, San José, San Juan Bautista, the Virgin of the Carmen, that of Los Dolores and two images of San Antonio Abad. In the roof of the presbytery, some principled century frescoes, work of the Madrid painter Ubaldo Bordanova. The church is declared Well of Cultural Interest from 1988.

ECONOMY

The vineyard is the principal agricultural product of the municipality, since finds auspicious area in the dross caps and sanded natural. The dedication in wine growing of Fuencaliente date of the century XVIII. Before the vine, they were the goats and the those which ewes were grazing in these fields.

The other cultivate important of the municipality is the banana, followed to great distance tuneras, potatoes, sweet potatoes, fed, etc.

Some fields produce fruit-bearing destined local consumption, while the smaller cattle finds its suitable place especially in El Charco.

Existed in Fuencaliente the first cooperative in wine growing of Canarias that it did not prosper, made it in an individual company.

In the field of El Charco is given the smaller cattle shepherding, since the cultivable spaces are very scarce.

GEOGRAPHICAL ASPECTS

Suppose the south vertex of the island, in the final sector of the Cumbre Vieja, where paradoxically they have been happened the volcanic episodes more recent of the island and of the Archipelago.

Its southern limits, so much the this as to the west, remain defined by the sea. To the north, on the other hand, in the vertiente eastern is found with the Mazo´s Village, continuing a dividing that is going from the Punta de Martín, to volcano of the same name already in the Cumbre vieja, continuing by the summits line.

In the slope western adjoins with El Paso and Los Llanos de Aridane, being dialed the limits from the summit until the coast, in La Lajita del Remo.

Though the erosion has let in emphasize some rooks (Teneguía, Fuente de los Roques,...) of salic character, samples of a previous relief, the landscape is characterized by the fingerprints of the volcanism recent and historical.

Numerous cones and their corresponding you lavic apportion define the space. The volcanic activity not only there has recovered the preexistent relief, but it has made to earn to the lands island to the sea. Thus, good part of the coast, much more in the eastern sector, offers the characteristic lavic platform or low island, at the bottom of the ancient steep.

Of the importance of the historical volcanism, gives the one which test four of the seven eruptions happened in La Palma, from the century XV until today, they have been happened here: Martín (1646), San Antonio (1677-78), El Charco (1712) and Teneguía (1971).

The own situation of the municipality, and the different direction conditions and the altitude, determine the climatic characteristics. From a sector opened to the dominant winds of the northeast, to other, to lee, sunnier and sheltered. The dominant vegetable cover is the pinegrove that even arrives very about the coast. In occasions appears associated with sabinar. Already in the areas most decreases, are presented the tabaibales.

NATURAL INTEREST VISITS

From the extreme south, until the north field, is extended the Natural Park of La Cumbre Vieja and Teneguía. Among other elements, the historical eruptions of El Charco, San Antonio and Teneguía. Wide space of great landscape interest, geomorphological, botanical and faunistic, even archaeologic and etnographic. In the case of the Teneguía is possible be approached younger of the canary volcanoes and studied the best, where yet are observed the classic posteruption demonstrations (thermal anomalies, volcanic gases,...).

At the same time toward the east, the Natural View of Las Coladas del volcán de Martín. Lavic Apportion of this eruption of 1646, that presents an interesting morphology (channels, pipes,...) and where it appears an incipient vegetable settling.

To the Recreational Area of La Fuente de Los Roques is acceded by a land track, that is there is to 1 km. of Fuencaliente, in address to Mazo.

POPULAR CULTURE

The grapevines, that define the lion's share of the cultivated space, give place to the exquisite malvasía, recognized inside and outside of the Islands. Among recent lavas grow the vides, turning in connection with their cared, crop and elaboration of the wine, a series of deep tradition activities. Precisely the last August Sunday take place the Holidays of the Vintage. A singular element of the same constitute it the horses fuscos. Linked to neighborhood of Los Quemados, consist of some horsemans, very well clothed, that simulate to go mounted in some horses made of a canes structure, green rods and wire, all lined with fabrics, and skirt and tissue paper manes. A peculiar polka them serves as musical accompaniment. An aspect of the gastronomy that deserves be indicated is the elaboration of the rye bun, as well as different pastry products.

In the local crafts fit be cited the embroidery.

LOCAL FESTIVITIES

17 of January: San Antonio Abad and 5 of August: Ntra. Señora de las Nieves.