Casa de Colón (Columbus House)

Historic City-Centre of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

UNESCO tentative

Date of Submission: 27/04/2007

The Casa de Colón is one of Las Palmas most attractive buildings with ornate doorways, beautiful latticed balconies, large courtyards and carved wooden ceilings, representing numerous aspects of the island’s architecture. This palace was the residence of the first governors of the island and it is claimed that Christopher Columbus stayed there in 1492 while one of his ships was repaired, hence the name Casa de Colón (Columbus House). 

This charming building was rebuilt in 1777 and since 1952 has housed a museum comprising 13 permanent exhibition rooms, a library and study centre as well as several spaces reserved for temporary activities, such as lectures, seminars and exhibitions. On display are pre-Columbian artefacts, ship models, a replica of a cabin of La Niña, one ship of Columbus’ fleet, navigation instruments, nautical maps and charts, paintings as well as many other artefacts related to voyages made by the famous navigator and the history of the Canaries and their relationship with the Americas.

This house was also the birthplace of the celebrated opera tenor, Alfredo Kraus (1927-99). Of more interest to younger visits will be the pair of parrots in the courtyard, especially as they’re particularly talkative.