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Tenerife Photos Canary Islands
Royalty free stock photographs of many locations in Tenerife and La Gomera, in the Canary Islands. Stock images of the islands of Boa Vista and Sal in Cape Verde Islands are also included. Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, La Palma and El Hierro stock photos will soon feature as well.
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Icod de los Vinos
Icod de los Vinos is a municipality in the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife in Tenerife, located in the northwest part of the island. Icod has an area of 95.90 square kilometers with a population of 24,179 as of 2006. Its inhabitants are known in Spanish as "icodenses".
Icod de los Vinos is located on a continuous smooth slope that stretches from the extensive forests of Canary Island Pine down to the sea with nearly 10 km of shoreline. The city is surrounded by a very fertile valley, and its streets offer excellent views of Teide, as well as the pine forests which stretch from its summit to Icod. Its banana plantations, orchards and vineyards give rise to a lively commerce. The main roads which service Icod are TF5, TF 42, TF 82 and the TF362.
Founded in 1501, the city is a collection of houses, ancient palaces, churches and convents. The name comes from the former Menceyato of Icoden, together with the product for which the area has historically been best known, its local wine (vino in Spanish). The Spanish conquerors were quick to colonize and develop this fertile region, and introduced sugarcane and grapevines.
The monument to General José Antonio Páez, founder of Venezuela's independence, stands in the Plaza de Lorenzo Cáceres whose great-grandfather came from Icod. The town's neighborhoods are dotted with landmarks and buildings which contribute to the artistic beauty of Icod. Some of these artistic works can be seen at the Museo de Arte Sacro in the church of San Marcos.
The Dragon Tree is the most famous attraction (Dracaena draco) and said to be thousands of years old but more likely to have an age in the hundreds of years. The tree does promote the town but much of the popularity of this region is also attributed to its wine production, hence the name, Icod de los Vinos.
Near the Plaza de La Pila, can be found the Casa de los Cáceres (house of the Cáceres family), which is now a museum. The Plaza itself, with its small botanic garden, is considered the most beautiful plaza in the Canary Islands.
The Plaza de Lorenzo Cáceres has varied vegetation. Also nearby is the parish church of San Marcos, a Canarian style church built in the first half of the 16th century. The church has five naves, three of them separated by columns, and two of them having side chapels. Inside are important images as well as valuable sculptures; among those that stand out are the statues of St. Mark the Evangelist and Our Lady of the Kings, in late Gothic style. The painting of the Annunciation is well worth viewing.
Playa de San Marcos is a sheltered bay on the north coast of Tenerife taking its name from the image of St. Mark the Evangelist venerated in the parish church of Icod which bears his name. This image appeared in a cave near the sea during the conquests.
The sheltered habour and beach was used by many as a refuge in bad weather. The closeness of the rich pine woods gave rise to the timber trade and ship building. Galleons and frigates were built in the shipyards for the King of Spain. Timbers were cut in the forest near Ermita del Amparo, a place which records this fact to the present day in the name of Corte de Naos (place where wood was cut for ships) which it retains.
In Puerto de San Marcos, a strong defense wall was built on the beach together with a watchtower to forewarn of imminent attack by pirates.
Today, Playa de San Marcos, protected by shell-shaped cliffs and black sand beach, is a place of recreation where the town's residents and their visitors can enjoy the magnificent surrounding landscape as well as a swim in its tranquil waters.
Cueva del Viento is thought to be the largest volcanic cave in the world with a known length of over 14 kilometers. It consists of a complex lava tube with several entrances. Other caves cab be found nearby such as San Marcos, Punto Blanco, El Rey, and Felipe Reventón.
Casa de Los Cáceres was formerly the residence of Lorenzo Cáceres. Its three story neoclassical front displays traditional quartered windows with a high arched central gate and a pretty hidden balcony.
The Icod Public Library is one of the best bibliographic and cultural centers of reference on the Islands. The Central Library is still situated in the Casa de los Cáceres, and already contains about 13,200 books.
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Further Articles
Icod de los Vinos is a municipality in the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife in Tenerife, located in the northwest part of the island. Icod has an area of 95.90 square kilometers with a population of 24,179 as of 2006. Its inhabitants are known in Spanish as "icodenses".
Icod de los Vinos is located on a continuous smooth slope that stretches from the extensive forests of Canary Island Pine down to the sea with nearly 10 km of shoreline. The city is surrounded by a very fertile valley, and its streets offer excellent views of Teide, as well as the pine forests which stretch from its summit to Icod. Its banana plantations, orchards and vineyards give rise to a lively commerce. The main roads which service Icod are TF5, TF 42, TF 82 and the TF362.
Founded in 1501, the city is a collection of houses, ancient palaces, churches and convents. The name comes from the former Menceyato of Icoden, together with the product for which the area has historically been best known, its local wine (vino in Spanish). The Spanish conquerors were quick to colonize and develop this fertile region, and introduced sugarcane and grapevines.
The monument to General José Antonio Páez, founder of Venezuela's independence, stands in the Plaza de Lorenzo Cáceres whose great-grandfather came from Icod. The town's neighborhoods are dotted with landmarks and buildings which contribute to the artistic beauty of Icod. Some of these artistic works can be seen at the Museo de Arte Sacro in the church of San Marcos.
The Dragon Tree is the most famous attraction (Dracaena draco) and said to be thousands of years old but more likely to have an age in the hundreds of years. The tree does promote the town but much of the popularity of this region is also attributed to its wine production, hence the name, Icod de los Vinos.
Near the Plaza de La Pila, can be found the Casa de los Cáceres (house of the Cáceres family), which is now a museum. The Plaza itself, with its small botanic garden, is considered the most beautiful plaza in the Canary Islands.
The Plaza de Lorenzo Cáceres has varied vegetation. Also nearby is the parish church of San Marcos, a Canarian style church built in the first half of the 16th century. The church has five naves, three of them separated by columns, and two of them having side chapels. Inside are important images as well as valuable sculptures; among those that stand out are the statues of St. Mark the Evangelist and Our Lady of the Kings, in late Gothic style. The painting of the Annunciation is well worth viewing.
Playa de San Marcos is a sheltered bay on the north coast of Tenerife taking its name from the image of St. Mark the Evangelist venerated in the parish church of Icod which bears his name. This image appeared in a cave near the sea during the conquests.
The sheltered habour and beach was used by many as a refuge in bad weather. The closeness of the rich pine woods gave rise to the timber trade and ship building. Galleons and frigates were built in the shipyards for the King of Spain. Timbers were cut in the forest near Ermita del Amparo, a place which records this fact to the present day in the name of Corte de Naos (place where wood was cut for ships) which it retains.
In Puerto de San Marcos, a strong defense wall was built on the beach together with a watchtower to forewarn of imminent attack by pirates.
Today, Playa de San Marcos, protected by shell-shaped cliffs and black sand beach, is a place of recreation where the town's residents and their visitors can enjoy the magnificent surrounding landscape as well as a swim in its tranquil waters.
Cueva del Viento is thought to be the largest volcanic cave in the world with a known length of over 14 kilometers. It consists of a complex lava tube with several entrances. Other caves cab be found nearby such as San Marcos, Punto Blanco, El Rey, and Felipe Reventón.
Casa de Los Cáceres was formerly the residence of Lorenzo Cáceres. Its three story neoclassical front displays traditional quartered windows with a high arched central gate and a pretty hidden balcony.
The Icod Public Library is one of the best bibliographic and cultural centers of reference on the Islands. The Central Library is still situated in the Casa de los Cáceres, and already contains about 13,200 books.
return
Further Articles