The 15 Spanish cities that comprise the World Heritage Cities Group, including La Laguna, will commemorate their 30th anniversary with a fresh edition of ‘Heritage Night’ on Saturday, September 14, during which the principal monuments will open for nighttime viewing.
Guests will also have the opportunity to engage in a range of activities to gain a deeper understanding of the municipality’s history and legacy.
In line with the grand day of the Fiestas del Cristo, the planned programme in La Laguna will be more modest, yet it will carry significant symbolic weight, featuring a special focus on the world premiere of ‘Lagunkak’, a dance performance created specifically for the event by the Basque company Kukai Dantza.
This occasion celebrates and merges contemporary dance with the cultural heritage of the Canary Islands, particularly that of La Laguna, due to the collaboration between choreographer and dancer Jon Maya, a recipient of the National Dance Award, and the La Laguna artist, Rogelio Botanz.
The day will commence in the square of the historic Santo Domingo convent at 5:00 p.m., with a whistled message relayed from the San Roque mountain to the Santo Domingo bell tower, signalling a member of the La Laguna Bell Ringers Association to start ringing the tajaraste alongside the bells.
Upon entering the convent, the performance will conclude within the Heritage Scene segment.
The event will culminate with members of ‘Lagunak’ exiting the old convent in a procession that will lead to the Plaza del Adelantado, where participatory workshops will be organised as part of the Vive Patrimonio section. For a duration of two hours, attendees will have the chance to witness the cultural events that inspired the performance.
The opening of significant heritage sites within the city, as part of the Open Heritage section, will, this time, be notably influenced by the Christ festivities, although Casa Anchieta and the former convent of Santo Domingo will still be accessible for visits.
A portrait book of La Laguna
The lead-up to Heritage Night has seen the unveiling of a new collection of books focused on Heritage Cities, marking one of the most distinguished publishing endeavours in the Group’s thirty-year history.
This collection features 15 volumes that tap into renowned figures from the domains of literature and visual arts in our country, each dedicated to one of the cities celebrated with the UNESCO designation.
Journalist and author Juan Cruz and artist José Luis Fajardo have collaborated on the book themed around San Cristóbal de La Laguna, subtitled ‘Long Walk of Art’.
“La Laguna is an open city, akin to a shell of air resting on water. It is composed of history and people. It welcomes you and bids you farewell, yet it does not let you go,” states Juan Cruz in this edition, which the publisher Tintablanca describes as “an evocative and personal exploration where the city, its monuments, streets, squares, and promenades serve as the backdrop for a vibrant and engaged life.”
This meticulously edited text is beautifully illustrated by José Luis Fajardo, celebrated as one of the last prominent Spanish abstract artists, who has, on this occasion, “utilised poetic figuration to depict his native city.”
