Lanzarote the realm of volcanoes and pirates
One of the seven Canary Islands off the west coast of Africa, Lanzarote is known for its year round warm weather. Its ancient buildings are a silent witness to its violent past, including the bands of pirates that repeatedly attacked and plundered the island. A six year long series of volcanic eruptions between 1730 and 1736, and a smaller one in 1824, shaped the island as it is today.
During the Spanish American war in 1898 a defense battery was built at the island's northernmost tip. It is an official national monument but when we visited the site in 2019 we found that it has been completely ignored by the tourist industry. According to some historians the Nazis used the Canary islands as a base to resupply their submarines (U-Boats) during the second world war. We were especially interested in an addition made to the site in 1940. An observation post (in German Style) was added to the complex, which makes you wonder if it has been used by the Nazis as an Atlantic communications post for their U-Boats.
Other places we visited were San Jose Castle, Torre Del Aguila, Santa Barbara Castle, San Gabriel Castle, El Lago Verde and the southern beaches of Papagayo, de la Cera and Caleta del Congrio.
Built originally as a wooden structure in 1573 it was burned down a year later by the pirate Morato Arraez. Felipe II commissioned Italian engineer Leonardo Torriani to rebuild the castle. The drawbridge leading to the castle is only one of its kind in the Canaries. It features two pillars each with a cannonball mounted on top, giving it the name Ball Bridge.
In 2019 Entrance €3
