Santa Ana Square
The Plaza Mayor de Santa Ana is one of the most emblematic places in the city of Las Palmas. Surrounding this most centric of squares are several of the most important buildings in Las Palmas including the Cathedral of Santa Ana and the Casa Colón. In the center of the plaza, you will also find one of the most famous and quirky sculptures in the city known locally as the “Perros de Santa Ana” or the dogs of Santa Ana.
The sculptures were created by the French sculptor Alfred Jacquemar (Paris 1824), and have been standing in the square since 1895. As the story goes, Mayor Felipe Massieu accepted them as a gift from a French ship that, on its way to South Africa, landed in the city to solve certain problems that arose during its journey. As a thank you for their assistance the ship left these statues that were originally intended to adorn other urban centers in the south of the African continent.
In 1944 author Víctor Doreste ‘baptized’ these unique dogs in his traditional fable ‘Faycán’. The author names seven other dogs that today rest in Santa Ana: Aterura, Mogano, Doramas, Tindaya , Bentayga, Tenoya and Tirajano.
Canary Museum
The Museo Canario or the Canary Museum is one of the best museums in Las Palmas to understand the anthropological history and evolution of its aboriginal inhabitants, known as Guanches, and the history of Gran Canaria. You will also discover the way they built their houses and their tools and even their medicines and their food. Especially striking is the hall of skulls and mummies in the enclosure.
Canary Cathedral
Construction of the Catedral de Canarias or the Cathedral of Santa Ana, as it is also known, began towards the end of the 1400’s and it was commissioned by the Catholic Kings themselves.
The Cathedral features 3 different architectural styles: late Gothic, Baroque and Neoclassical. Although it was never 100% completed, it was the first cathedral in the Canary Islands and the only cathedral in all of the islands until the 19th century.
Casa Colón
This XVI century estate didn’t actually belong to Christopher Columbus but it did belong to the governor of the island who oversaw Columbus’ expeditions and who housed the Spanish explorer on his way to the New World.
The Colon House Museum has maritime archives that belonged to the discoverer, such as navigation charts and logbooks. Especially recommended for lovers of the sea and exploration.
The Vegueta Market
This is one of the most interesting places to see in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and perfect for delving into Canarian gastronomy. The Vegueta Market is overflowing with tropical fruit stalls, local spices and delicacies, and all types of local products, unique to the Canary Islands.
A guided visit to the Vegueta neighborhood is especially interesting where you can see first-hand its market and many more secrets of the city.