San Sebastian de La Gomera
| San Sebastián de La Gomera municipality | |||
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 San Sebastian de La Gomera
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| coat of arms | Map of the Canary Islands | ||
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| Basic data | |||
| Autonomous Community : | Canary Islands | ||
| Province : | Santa Cruz de Tenerife | ||
| Island: | La Gomera | ||
| Coordinates | 28 ° 6 ′ N , 17 ° 7 ′ W | ||
| Height : | 5 msnm | ||
| Area : | 113.59 km² | ||
| Residents : | 9,093 (Jan 1, 2019) | ||
| Population density : | 80.05 inhabitants / km² | ||
| Postal code : | E – 38880 (San Sebastián) E – 38811 (Laguna de Santiago) E – 38813 (Ayamosna) |
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| Municipality number ( INE ): | 38036 | ||
| administration | |||
| Mayor : | Ángel Luis Castilla ( PSOE ) (Status: 2010) | ||
| Address of the municipal administration: | Plaza de las Americas, 4 38800 - San Sebastián de la Gomera |
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| Website : | www.sansebastiangomera.org | ||
| Location of the municipality | |||
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San Sebastián de La Gomera is the capital of to Spain belonging Canary Island of La Gomera . It is located on the east coast and is the largest of the six municipalities on the island in terms of population and area.
location
San Sebastián is located in the east of the almost circular island of La Gomera in the valley of the Barranco de la Villa . However, the river bed only carries water after rainfall. Reservoirs ( embalses ) were created in the upper area of the Barranco to collect the scarce surface water for irrigation purposes.
The urban area extends over the following districts:
- Center with La Lomada ⊙ , El Calvario ⊙ , Las Gallanas, La Gallarda ⊙
- El Molinito and El Langrero (northwest of the town center in 2 to 3 km distance ⊙ )
- El Barranco (north-west of the town center, 7 km away)
- La Laja (northwest of the town center, 11 km away near the nature park Natur , connection via the CV-1)
- Barranco de Santiago, Tecina, Laguna de Santiago, Benchijigua, Vegaipala, Las Toscas, Ayamosna, Jerdune, Lo del Gato, El Cabrito (small settlements and parts of the community in the southwest, about 30 km away via the TF-713)
- Enchereda (also Incherada ) (to be reached northwest via the TF-711 and a side road ⊙ )
Neighboring communities are Hermigua in the northwest and Alajeró in the southwest.
history
San Sebastián de La Gomera belongs to one of the settlement areas of the Gomeros (indigenous people). In 1440, Hernán Peraza occupied what is now the capital of the island, at the end of the Barranco de la Villa ravine . He named it San Sebastián .
The first buildings, erected before the conquest of the island was completed, are the Ermita de San Sebastián church , which is now outside the center of the settlement, the Casa de los Peraza on the Pozo de la Aguada property , and the Iglesia de Nra church. Sra. de La Asunción in Calle del Medio , which was only a small chapel at first, and the 15-meter-high, three-storey defense tower Torre del Conde (Tower of the Count) in the middle of the valley. Hernán Peraza had this built around 1450 to protect against the rebellious natives.
The capital of the island develops from two directions, from the side of the Casa de los Peraza and from the Iglesia de la Asunción , between which the Calle Real was later built, the beginning of the Camino Real (Royal Route), the most important street on the island.
Christopher Columbus set out from here on September 6, 1492 supposedly for India , but discovered America . Doña Beatriz de Bobadilla , the widow of Count Hérnan Peraza , helped him repair his fastest ship, the Pinta . There is also the La Aguada fountain in the old customs house, from which Columbus is said to have drawn water reserves for the crossing and the water for the baptism of America .
traffic
The port of San Sebastián is the gateway to the entire island. From here there are ferry connections (e.g. Fred. Olsen Express ) to the neighboring islands of Tenerife , La Palma and El Hierro . The distance to the nearest ferry port Los Cristianos on Tenerife is 38 kilometers. The marina has been expanded considerably since 2000.
From San Sebastian there are two main roads leading to the rest of the island. The TF 711 road leads north, is around 50 kilometers long and connects the city with Vallehermoso . The TF 713 road leads past Roque de Agando and, with a junction to Playa Santiago , connects San Sebastián with the Valle Gran Rey .
The Estatión de Guaguas bus station is located in San Sebastián, Avenida del Quinto Centenario (the bus is called guagua in the Canary Islands ). There are regular connections from the bus station to other places in La Gomera.
Attractions
- the tower of the count, Torre del Conde in its namesake park ( Location: )
- the museum Casa de Colón with the Columbus Fountain ( Location: )
- the fountain Pozo de La Aguada in the old customs house ( Location: )
- the rock of Los Roques
- the ravine Barranco del Cabrito ( Location: )
- Nature Reserve Puntallana ( Location: )
- Natural Park Majona ( Location: )
- the Parador Conde de La Gomera ; 70 meters above sea level in Lomo de la Horca . This is a mostly decorated in historical buildings, previously state-owned luxury hotel ( Location: )
Nuestra Señora de la Asunción Church
The history of the Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción goes back to the 15th century. Hernán Peraza ("El Viejo") built a single-nave chapel made of bricks and rubble stones around 1450. This place of prayer, a fortress as the residence of the ruler and an initial path, formed the starting point for all island connections (at that time still by ship or boat) and ultimately the nucleus of the village. The chapel then became the final resting place of the ruler's son, Guillén Peraza, and witness to the Columbus fleet's hymn of praise to St. Mary, the Salve Marinera . At the end of the 15th century, shortly after Columbus left for America, the chapel was demolished and replaced by a new three-aisled church. In the following fifty years it received the best equipment in terms of quality and quantity. The ribbed vault made of red tuff and the facade date from this period . The late Baroque high altar with a figure of Christ comes from the Canarian artist José Luján Pérez (1756–1815). The church is seen as an important example of Gothic architecture in the Atlantic area, in which the construction of the Spanish Catholic Kings merges with the Portuguese Manuelino style .
As it happened to the city, it also happened to the church: Over the years it has been damaged or destroyed several times by pirate attacks. In 1632 the sexton was commissioned to build a chest for the church records so that they could be brought to safety quickly. He also had to have rope and pulley ready so that he could quickly unhinge the church bells in order to save them from being pillaged by pirates.
At times the church was neglected, the choir stalls served as firewood for the ships' boilers, the Flemish organ pipes were sold by weight to the local blacksmith, the altars sawed up, the images of saints were kept in storage rooms.
economy
Today, the municipality's economy is mainly determined by its functions as the capital and port of the island, with the corresponding development of public services and the service sector in general, in particular transport, trade and tourism in Tenerife .
Places of the community
The population figures in brackets are from 2007.
- San Sebastian de La Gomera (6,984)
- El Atajo (47)
- Ayamosna (6)
- Barranco de Santiago (83)
- Benchijigua (2)
- El Cabrito (8)
- Chejelipes (38)
- Inchereda (17)
- El Jorado (31)
- Laguna de Santiago (357)
- La Laja (92)
- Lo Del Gato (13)
- Lomito Fragoso y Honduras (84)
- El Molinito (432)
- San Antonio y Pilar (44)
- Tejiade (44)
- Las Toscas (8)
- Tecina (190)
- Vegaipala (9)
public holidays
- January 20th : San Sebastián
- October 7th : Bajada de la Virgen
Impressions from the church
Street side
Interior
Side altar
Side altar
Mural
Mural
Main altar
Wall painting from 1743 depicting the successful defense of a British pirate fleet
Station of a cross
swell
- ↑ Cifras oficiales de población resultantes de la revisión del Padrón municipal a 1 de enero . Population statistics from the Instituto Nacional de Estadística (population update).
- ^ Instituto Canario de Estadística
