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| Montañas del Fuego - The Fire Mountains | |
| A Violent History | |
| The Spanish invaded Lanzarote and conquered it. Pirates made life a misery for the local inhabitants. But the people of Lanzarote had more to put up with than the deeds of man. The geological history of the island is also one of violence. The whole of the island has suffered volcanic activity, the most recent being in the Western Timanfaya massif. | |
| 18th and 19th Century Eruptions | |
The details of those eruptions were carefully noted by the priest of Yaiza (Andrés Lorenzo Curbelo) whose diary now forms the most accurate description there is of the event. Although so much damage was done to the land, not one life was lost, all the villagers being evacuated as the lava progressed. After this there was silence until 1824 when 3 more cones were formed in just 3 months. There has been no further activity since 1824. The underground temperature in the area around the Montañas del Fuego, however, reaches 400 degrees centigrade and the surface rocks are hot to the touch. | |
| National Park of Timanfaya | |
| This park covers a surface area of 51 square kilometres, and includes within it's boundaries an extensive range of volcanoes. Because of the lack of rain, there is very little erosion on the island and the volcanic scenery must look much as it did after the eruptions. Despite the hostile appearance of this land, which extends as far as the coast, there are several species of animals such as the Haria lizard, ravens, seagulls, Cory's shearwater, and a great variety of lichens (more than 300 different species), 'aulaga', reeds, 'tojios', 'lengua de vaca' and other examples of endemic flora. A large number of experts in Botany, Zoology and Geology uses the National Park of Timanfaya as a base for different studies and experiments. | |
| The Visitor Centre | |
| Close to the Park, at Mancha Blanca, is the Ministry of Environment's Visitor and Interpretation Centre. This centre provides a great deal of information about the characteristics of Timanfaya. There is also a permanent exhibition with interpretative displays, a simulated eruption, a guide-interpreter service and a multimedia audio-visual programme. All this takes place in a majestic building designed to be in harmony with the volcanic area in which it is sited. | |
| In The Fire Mountains | |
| When we get to the interior of the Fire Mountains, we are immersed in a scenery which is both breathtaking and unrepeatable. First we visit the Islote de Hilario where the temperature only 10 centimetres below the surface is around 140 degrees centigrade. At 6 metres below ground level it reaches 400 degrees. | |
| Geothermic Experiments | |
César Manrique and the Islote de Hilario In the Islote de Hilario the genius of César Manrique is tangible. Here, the artist created a Centre of Art, Culture and Tourism for the Island Government. The restaurant, 'El Diablo', is a circular building with a nearby shop and grill. These buidings are characterized by their exquisite use of the volcanic stone which blends harmoniously with the landscape. What is extremely interesting is the presence of a natural grill in the mountain that seems to descend to the depths of the volcano and where tourists can observe food being cooked from the natural heat of the volcano. | |
| Tour of the Park | |
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The Islote de Hilario is the starting point for the 'Ruta de los Volcanes'. This consists of a unique excursion where there is the possibility of admiring the most outstanding places in the park. A coach takes visitors on a 14 kilometres journey through an area of great geological importance. Visitors witness unique and breathtaking views. As the coach progresses through the volcanic landscape, there is a recorded commentary providing descriptions taken from the manuscript of the parish priest of Yaiza, Andrés Lorenzo Curbelo, the main witness of the devastating action resulting from the eruptions in the 18th century. During the journey, visitors can witness the numerous lines of volcanoes, the 'tongues' of lava, the 'hornitos' and the volcanic tubes. The 'Ruta de los Volcanes' is an unforgettable itinerary for the visitor because he is introduced into one of the most hidden and fascinating places at Timanfaya. | |
| * much of the above is reproduced from a pamphlet issued by the Lanzarote Island Government. |
