Arucas, Las Palmas

Arucas
Municipality
Coordinates: ES 28°07′08″N 15°31′23″W / 28.118829°N 15.523088°W / 28.118829; -15.523088Coordinates: ES 28°07′08″N 15°31′23″W / 28.118829°N 15.523088°W / 28.118829; -15.523088
Country Spain
Autonomous region Canary Islands
Province Las Palmas
Island Gran Canaria
Area[1]
 • Total 33.01 km2 (12.75 sq mi)
Elevation 240 m (790 ft)
Population (2013)[2]
 • Total 36,852
 • Density 1,100/km2 (2,900/sq mi)
Municipal code E-35006

Arucas is a municipality in the northern part of the island of Gran Canaria, province of Las Palmas, Canary Islands. Arucas is 9 km west of Las Palmas city. Its population is 36,852 (2013),[2] and the area is 33.01 km².[1] The GC-2 motorway passes north of the town.

Sites of interest

The Botanical Garden in Arucas.
Known as the "Jardín de la Marquesa de Arucas", the Botanical Garden features more than 500 plant species.[3]
City of Arucas.

The Church of San Juan Bautista is the leading architectural and social monument in the municipality. It was built entirely in Arucas stone by local master masons, and it dates from 1909. Apart from the wealth of the carved stone columns and column heads, there are also some beautiful stained glass windows, the works of Canary Island painter Cristobal Hernandez de Quintana, and an extraordinary carving of the Reclining Christ, by Manuel Ramos.[4] To the north is the Montaña de Arucas which is thought to be the area where courageous Doramas the Guanche leader was killed in 1481 by Pedro de Vera in the Battle of Arucas. Arucas is known for the production of rum.[5] There is a botanical Garden in Arucas, the Jardín de la Marquesa de Arucas.

History

Arucas was rebuilt in 1480 after being completely destroyed in 1478. Since the 15th century, the main crop of the Arucas area was sugar cane. Rum was produced here long before sugar plantations were cultivated in Cuba. One of the main features of modern-day Arucas is its rum factory.[6] Arucas boomed with the demand for cochinilla (a beetle feeding off cactus pear, crushed to produce red dye) in the second half of the 19th century.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1991 26,974—    
1996 29,179+8.2%
2001 32,466+11.3%
2002 32,917+1.4%
2003 33,449+1.6%
2004 33,701+0.8%
2013 36,852+9.3%

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Instituto Canario de Estadística, area
  2. 1 2 Instituto Canario de Estadística Archived April 23, 2014, at the Wayback Machine., population
  3. ↑ "Jardín de la Marquesa website". Jardindelamarquesa.com. Retrieved 2013-03-12.
  4. ↑ "Discover Arucas". Grancanaria.com. Retrieved 2013-03-12.
  5. ↑ "Gran Canaria Tourism Guide - Arucas". Iknow-canaryislands.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-03-12.
  6. ↑ "Arucas". Justgrancanaria.com. Retrieved 2013-03-12.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Arucas.
 Moya Atlantic Ocean
Firgas Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
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