Muralla de Las Palmas, Defensive wall in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.
Muralla de Las Palmas is a defensive wall that once enclosed parts of the city in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. The northern section runs from the former Santa Ana Castle toward the Triana district, with smooth stone faces, no buttresses, and a wide interior corridor for soldiers and supplies.
Governor Diego de Melgarejo started building the northern wall before 1578, making Las Palmas one of the few fortified cities in the Canary Islands. This construction responded to repeated pirate raids that threatened the coastal settlement.
The preserved wall near Mata Castle shows how military engineering shaped the city's defense and urban layout during the Spanish colonial period. Visitors can observe the stone construction methods and spatial planning that protected the settlement from constant threats.
The wall section near Mata Castle is accessible to visitors and has information panels about the fortification system. Walking along the preserved segment lets you see the stonework and interior layout up close without needing special equipment or permits.
The wall was built with an inclined plane design that widened from top to bottom, a shape engineered specifically for coastal defenses. This sloping construction provided extra strength against impacts and helped resist the heavy wind and sea conditions of the island.
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