The most interesting sights to see: Only a few metres away from the site of the military encampment, from which the first settlement originated, you will find the Plaza Santa Ana with its entrance guarded by bronze statues of dogs symbolising the legendary canine, which since 1506 was said to have appeared in the town’s heights, and some impressive historic buildings, of which many have survived in their original state up to date.
Noteworthy among these magnificent buildings are the Casa Regental, a largely 17th-century building serving as residence of the president of Gran Canaria’s High Court of Law, the elegant 19th-century building of the Casas Consistoriales (Town Hall) and the Palacio Episcopal (Bishop’s Palace), of which only an ornate single-storey façade remained after the great fire of 1599, and the imposing Catedral de Santa Ana.
Staying in the Vegueta district, on Calle del Doctor Chil, you’ll find the Church of the old Augustinian Convent, where the High Court sits today, the baroque Church of San Francisco de Asís, the sombre-looking Old Seminary and, last but not least, the Museo Canario (Canary Island Museum) at the corner of Calle Doctor Verneau.
Just around the corner from the Museo Canario is the Plaza del Espíritu Santo (Square of the Holy Spirit), a charming square with an impressive monumental fountain located in its centre, surrounded by a number of stately historical houses and the Chapel of the Holy Spirit. This is well worth a visit.
