Where is Maspalomas?
Maspalomas is the most famous resort of Gran Canaria in the Canary Archipelago, which is part of Spain. The island has long been favored by Europeans. People from China, India, and Africa can also be found here. Despite being part of Spain, Gran Canaria has retained its own traditions and culture.
In Maspalomas, some of the once European arrivals never managed to leave the wonder island and have stayed for good. The resort offers nightlife, oceanfront sand dunes, a huge beach, numerous restaurants, bars, hotels, stores, and all sorts of attractions. In terms of comfort for visitors, Maspalomas is the perfect place.
There is a beautiful legend about the origin of Gran Canaria and the other islands of the Canary Archipelago, according to which they are part of the legendary sunken continent of Atlantis.
Today Maspalomas is a modern, well-appointed resort, the highlight of which are the famous natural dunes that cover 400 hectares.
History of Maspalomas: significant events and interesting facts
The name Maspalomas according to legends has two variants of origin - either from the name of a settler and soldier from the island of Mallorca, Rodrigo Mas de Palomar, or from Francisco Palomar, a Genoese friend of Alonso Fernández de Lugo, who acquired 87 Guanche slaves from Guimar and settled on the territory of the modern resort.
The first inhabitants of the island are believed to have been migrants from North Africa — the Guanches — who lived here from around 500 BC. The Guanches settled in natural caves or built simple, low stone houses, while smaller grottoes and caves were used to store grain. This tribal society lived relatively peacefully for many centuries until it was almost entirely destroyed by foreign invaders.
The original inhabitants of Maspalomas — the Guanches — were gradually displaced by marauders and colonizers. In the early 15th century, the French navigator Jean de Béthencourt launched a campaign to conquer the islands of the archipelago, which, after 94 years of resistance, eventually surrendered to the conquistadors. As a result, the indigenous population was sold into slavery or perished from diseases brought from the mainland. Gran Canaria was subsequently colonized by adventurers and landless settlers from Galicia, Andalusia, Portugal, Italy, and France.
Later, the island’s capital, Las Palmas, became the seat of the bishopric and the royal court of the Canary Islands. During periods of economic decline, many residents of the Canary Islands emigrated to South America, which explains the strong cultural ties between the two regions. Since the mid-20th century, Maspalomas and other resorts on the island have flourished thanks to their reputation as a true tourist paradise.
In 1927, the Canary Islands became two provinces of Spain. Today, most of the indigenous Guanches live in Gran Canaria and Tenerife.
