The Plaza de la Feria

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria · Category: Architecture · Subcategory: Squares, streets & markets

The spirit that brought the Plaza de la Feria into being lives on today; a place for people to come together in rejoicing, or standing together in times of trouble, the hustle and bustle of people joined in demonstration; previously the site of cattle fairs, craft fairs, and harvest celebrations, now a happy and wide ranging social and cultural meeting place. It is a large square which over the years and from generation to generation, has become a little more intimate, with a quieter feel to it, without losing any of its cosmopolitan air. Today it is a symbol and a monument to urban expansion in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria during the second half of the 19th century, when the north wall was taken down and the neighbourhood of Los Arenales started to spring up.

A sign of this modernity is its early appearance in the street plan drawn by engineer Juan de León y Castillo in 1864, one of the figures behind 19th century development and whose name the square officially goes under, even though it was as Plaza de la Feria that the locals spontaneously called it, for the frequent fairs held there, and other many events that provided great entertainment and leisure for residents in the area. It lent itself perfectly for the purpose as it was an open space, albeit rather shoddy, until in 1909 it underwent important refurbishment and embellishment works. 

One of the most significant events in its history took place in 1899, at the factory that was built in a plot alongside it, which started providing the first street lighting in the city. It was a day of great rejoicing for both local officials and residents; the square itself was decked out and lit up by this new electicity supply that symbolised this great progress for mankind, with partying and dancing which continued long into the night. Later on, the unstoppable urban industrial development moved on to Guanarteme, and its site was replaced by smart new buildings on both sides of the square. [...]

The modern day square was inaugurated on 4th January 1970, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the passing of the most illustrious and universal of the islands' writers, Benito Pérez Galdós; the year before, to replace the rather worn out sculpture of Victorio Macho, the Town Hall commissioned prestigious sculptor Pablo Serrano to carve a new monument. In this way, not only did he work in the vision of the writer, but also personally chose the spot it would be set, tracing out the basic lines of the square's restoration along with the help of Uruguayan architect and landscaper Leandro Silva and local architect Enrique Espínola.

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