La Laguna is celebrating this week the 25th anniversary of its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage City, featuring a comprehensive programme that comprises lectures, dramatized tours, and reflective events centred on its history and heritage.
Commencing on Tuesday, December 3, the international symposium “City of La Laguna World Heritage, 25 years later” will unfold over two consecutive days, on the 3rd and 4th. Esteemed speakers include Federico Mayor Zaragoza, president of the Culture of Peace Foundation, and Marisa Tejedor, president of the Scientific Council of the Spanish Committee of the Man and Biosphere Programme (MaB) of UNESCO. This symposium will focus on the city’s growth and challenges concerning urban planning, sustainability, and heritage preservation.
On the same Tuesday, dramatized routes entitled “La Laguna, the pillory and with the hammer giving” will be organised by the Department of Cultural Heritage in collaboration with Burka Teatro. These complimentary routes will run until Sunday, December 7, providing a historical exploration of the city’s early days in the 16th century, from its design inspired by the Compass Rose to the implementation of justice systems and the introduction of agriculture and manufacturing. The initial performance, starting at 6:00 p.m., will coincide with the International Day of Persons with Disabilities and will feature sign language interpreters.
Wednesday, December 4, will mark the main day of the celebrations. Planned activities include the unveiling of the time tunnel in Deán Palahi alley, an installation that will whisk visitors back to the era of the Napoleonic invasion and the establishment of the Supreme Junta of the Canary Islands.
Additionally, the Leal Theatre will hold the awards ceremony celebrating those who contributed to La Laguna’s recognition as a World Heritage site.
The dramatized tours will resume from December 4 to 7, with daily sessions at 11:00 and 18:00, concluding on Sunday the 7th with one final morning departure. During these tours led by historian Néstor Verona, topics such as land distribution following the island’s conquest, the introduction of linen and fulling mills in the textile sector, and the role of the pillory as a symbol of justice and punishment will be examined.
All the anniversary events can be found on the official website 25thanniversary.aytolalaguna.es. Activities will carry on into 2025, featuring cultural and academic initiatives aimed at reinforcing the city’s connection with its historical heritage.
