Works on the island of Lanzarote

Lanzarote, Las Palmas, Canarias.

Dating of the building: 20th century.

Applicant: César Manrique.

Reason for the award :

For having transformed Lanzarote in what international planners consider "the utopian island".

There is no place in Spain where its cultural and tourist rehabilitation is so closely linked to a name as Lanzarote.

The Europa Nostra award acknowledges the lifetime work of the Canarian artist César Manrique (1920-1992) in Lanzarote.  There is no place in Spain where its cultural and tourist rehabilitation is so closely linked to a name. Since his return in 1966, after working in Madrid and New York, Manrique devoted all his efforts to making the volcanic beauty of his birthplace a renowned place, while recovering its vernacular architecture, restoring palaces and hermitages, and raising awareness among the population of the need to protect their cultural heritage.

Manrique’s first major project was to design his home built on five volcanic caves, today a cultural foundation that carries his name. The nexus of Manrique’s outstanding accomplishments is the integration of his works with the volcanic landscapes. The Mirador del Río is an observatory excavated on a cliff four hundred meters high, the El Diablo restaurant crowns one of the volcanic peaks of the Timanfaya Natural Park, and the Jameos del Agua, open to the public, are underground lagoons of volcanic origin.

Others awards in Canarias: