GEOGRAPHICAL DATA:

Surface: 43,37 square kilometers.

6,12% of the island of La Palma.

Altitude: 15 meters (capital). 1.750 meters (Lomo de los Gomeros). 150 meters (La Glorieta and El Planto).

- " capital City of the Island, called also in other time Apurot. It is located in the eastern coast, on the declivity of a mountain to borders of the sea. It has good houses and some squares, streets and alleys that are extended in all the ways, being its principal route the Real street of Santiago.

Two ravines cross the town and above them are lifted three wood bridges of just an arch, of those which the first joins the street of the old hospital, the second the Real of Santiago and the mediator the designated Rear. In the principal square or the Constitution Square was in other time the lordly house of the conquering Fernández of Lugo. " -

(Millares Torres, General History of the Canary Islands).

The island of the Sir San Miguel de La Palma remained definitely incorporated to the Wreath of Castille in the spring of 1493. The conquerors, captained by Alonso Fernández of Lugo, raised the cross in the beaches of the cantón aboriginal of Tedote, being officiated the first mass. It was this the ceremony fundacional of this city.

Initially it was called Villa of the Apurón, according to the Sinodales of the Bishop Fernando Vázquez de Arce, in 1518 is called Villa de Santa Cruz and, finally, in 1542 has the title of Very Noble and Loyal City. From the first moment had chapter, that it was for all the Island.

The parish of the Salvador had to be erected almost simultaneously with the finalización of the conquest, though could not be dated precisely.

The first accomplished public work was the levee; and the port, where was worked in the beginning of the century XVI, it was soon scale obligated in the road toward Indias; so that Felipe II established here, in 1558, first Indias Court. Became the third port of the Empire, after Seville and Antwerp.

The trade of the sugar cane and the ships construction influence decisively the development of the city, of whose brilliance are shown the lordly houses that are built.

After the assault of the French pirate Stick Foot (1553) is started the construction of the Real Castle of Santa Catalina, beginning of a series of defensive works that protected the city of the assaults by sea.

Staunch to its origin, this city to the one which fits the honor of be the first in having a democratic town hall in our country, it has been maintained prosperous throughout the years.

They are many places of cultural interest to visit in Santa Cruz de La Palma. A tour by its streets will carry us to the counterfoil parish of El Salvador, where are kept important works of art; the real franciscan convent of the Inmaculada Concepción (century XVI); the church of Santo Domingo (century XVI), that of Santa Agueda's one, that was the convent of clarisas and that date of the century

XVII; The Encarnacion's one (century XVI), the hermitages of San Telmo and of San Sebastián,... out of the hull, the real sanctuary of Our Nuestra Señora de Las Nieves, with its Insular Museum of Holy Art and the beautiful height of that Virgin.

The town hall, built after the fire that destroyed the primitive houses consistoriales in the assault of the French pirates; is probably the civil architecture monument more relevant of the Renaissance in Canarias. And we can not forget the fine arts Museum, the Ship to the Virgin with its naval museum and the Society La Cosmológica.

Finally, the Castle of Santa Catalina as military architecture sample.

Being the insular capital is not strange that it will be the terciary sector the one which is constituted as base of the municipal economy; within it, the services absorb the greater quantity of active population, followed of the trade and transportation and communications.

Within secondary sector, the second in importance in this municipality, emphasizes the construction and industry.

In the primary sector, the agriculture occupies the first place, followed by the fishing.

Within the agriculture, the great part of the lands of irrigable for cultivation of bananas and potatoes, continuing with vegetables, citric, avocados and something of tobacco. The dryness lands are consecrated primarily to fodder and potatoes.

In the eastern sector of the Island, and toward the center of the same, is found this municipality, whose limits appear clearly defined by two ravines. To the north, the Barranco Seco brands the dividing with Puntallana, while to the south, with Breña Alta, makes it the Barranco de Juan Mayor. Already very about the coast, this boundary borders the interior of the volcano of the Crag of La Concepción, making to advance the extension of the term, a little more southward.

Westward, the cresterías of La Caldera and Cumbre Nueva, define the dividing with El Paso, with heights that are approached or surpassed 2.000 meters, and with the maximum altitude in the Pico de Las Nieves (2.247 meters).

The coast, to the East, is presented steep and rocky, with the minimal space where it has been established the capital of the Island.

Remains thus it defined a space, where do not appear recent volcanic eruptions, and in this one the relief is a ravines succession and of loins that separate them.

So it is a great pending, which have been impacted several ravines, that already in the bottommost section, tend to be encased profoundly. Among them, the most important is Las Nieves, that it collects the waters of good part of the back of La Caldera, that corresponds to the municipality.

This has been possible in a space in which are presented, mostly, ancient basaltic materials, projecting the volcanic cone of the mountain of Tagoja.

To the South of the city is found the spectacular hidrovolcano of La Caldereta or Crag of La Concepción, that hardly part of its crater is found within municipal term. However, from this municipality has a wide perspective of this great volcanic building, that is corresponded with a submarine eruption, today in surface, by the raising of the insular block.

The clear direction to the East does not determine, however, the influence of the Trade Winds in great part of the municipality, that are diverted by the obstacle orographic of the mountains from Puntallana. This aspect, plus the evident differences that brand the altitude, define a soft temperatures climate and relatively scarce rainfalls. In this way, the typical distribution of the vegetation in floors, is seen interrupted in the northernmost sector of the term, where the pinegrove descends to levels more decreases. Southward, the greater dampness contributions, thus permit the presence of the monteverde. Interesting are the vegetation thermo samples, emphasizing the palms.

The Natural Park of Los Barrancos de Quintero, El Rio, La Madera and Dorador, occupies a great part of the center sector - western of the municipality, as of 700-800 meters of altitude. Enclave of great showy and ecological value, presents places as Corralejo, from where is obtained a wide panoramic from great part of the Island.

The natural space of the ravines of Juan Mayor and Los Pájaros, supposes a place where is sheltered a representation of the thermo vegetation (acebuches, mocanes, palms,...), accepting also an interesting fauna.

Places as La Quinta Verde, constitute spaces to take into account, at the same time that different miradors, offer atractive perspectives. Also, the municipality is a key place, to envisage the hidrovolcano of the Risco de La Concepción.

The Holidays of the Descent of the Virgin of Las Nieves, constitute the greater festive event at insular level, that take place in the months of June - July. Their origin would be in a descent made in 1676, before the drought that was destroying the fields, and a pontifical arrangement to repeated it each 5 years, since 1680. A series of acts, of great roots and tradition, characterize it: Pilgrimage, Triunfal Allegoric Car, Dialogue of the Castle and The Ship, The Pray, The Dance of the Dwarves,... Without doubt, this last is one of those of greater folkloric interest. Date of the century past, being the greater expectancy event, the moment in which the dancers become dwarves, into an opening and closing of eyes, and continue dancing an original polka.

On Monday of Carnival, takes place the Arrival of the Indians, singular festive number, where it is usage pulled powders - talc. Among the own gastronomy of these dates, are found the traditional honey soups.

5 of August: Ntra. Señora de Las Nieves; and 26 of September, San Miguel Arcángel.