During the Spanish conquest of Tenerife and La Palma islands, Tenerife served as a major supply port for ships bound for Spanish America. Las Palmas, officially Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, is the capital of Las Palmas province in the Canary Islands of Spain. A gully in the center of the city once separated the historical quarter from the more cosmopolitan and commercial boroughs in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. The oldest houses date back to the late 15th century and are found in the colonial quarter (Vegueta), along with the cathedral of Santa Ana (built in 1497) and the house of Christopher Columbus. The Canario Museum holds relics of the extinct island inhabitants known as the Guanches (see Guanche and Canario) and the Pueblo Canario, a collection of buildings built in the old Canarian style.
Las Palmas has numerous theater, cinema, opera, concert, visual arts, and dance performances. It hosts the Canary Islands Music Festival, the Theatre and Dance Festival, and the International Film Festival. The main City Festival, celebrating the founding of the Fiestas de San Juan, is held in June. Carnival in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is one of the top attractions for tourists.
Here are some fascinating photos of Las Palmas from the 1950s.
