An island moulded by an artist. That's how to see Lanzarote. César Manrique, universal creative and ecological pioneer,
influences every visit to the island.
His life's work, and especially his pioneering vision of how man and the environment interact,
infuses many of the island's top spots. His vision still influences how Canarians think about their islands and especially Lanzarote.
Manrique's world class designs for tourist attractions are all over the archipelago.
The legacy of
César Manrique
“For me it was the most beautiful place on Earth and I realised that if people could see it through my eyes, they'd think the same”
Much more than
a sculptor
César Manrique (1919-1992) was born in Lanzarote. Painter, sculptor, architect and multidisciplinary artist, he studied in Madrid and after exhibiting across the world for many years, lived in New York during the 1960s when it was a global artistic centre.
Two years later he came home to Lanzarote and set about his most ambitious personal project: using the island itself as his canvas and his artistic ideas to protect its environment. His love of his home and enormous personality did the rest, In 1978 he was awarded the World Prize For Ecology And Tourism.
Two years later he came home to Lanzarote and set about his most ambitious personal project: using the island itself as his canvas and his artistic ideas to protect its environment. His love of his home and enormous personality did the rest, In 1978 he was awarded the World Prize For Ecology And Tourism.
Tourist attractions
or art centres?
Plaza de la Glorieta
Casa Museo del Campesino
Mirador de la peña
Mirador del morro melosa
Mirador del río
Mirador del palmarejo
Jardín de cactus
Fundación César Manrique
César Manrique's world-class body of work is huge but it is his landscape artworks that stand out. In all of them he looked for the blend between the human and the natural that allowed the two to merge into art,
Viewpoints, gardens, coastal features, cultural centres … The list is endless and his originality and timeless designs overwhelming. While most were in Lanzarote he also left his mark on Fuerteventura, Tenerife, La Gomera and El Hierro. His signature works are there for all to enjoy.
Viewpoints, gardens, coastal features, cultural centres … The list is endless and his originality and timeless designs overwhelming. While most were in Lanzarote he also left his mark on Fuerteventura, Tenerife, La Gomera and El Hierro. His signature works are there for all to enjoy.
MIAC San José Castle
in Lanzarote
Monumento al Campesino - Museum-House and Monument to Fertility
in Lanzarote
Playa Jardin beach
in Tenerife
Morro Velosa viewpoint
in Fuerteventura
El Palmarejo viewpoint
in La Gomera
Los Jameos
del Agua
The first Centre of Art, Culture and Tourism created by César Manrique and one of the best examples of his vision of harmony between art and nature. He used part of a volcanic tunnel to create a natural auditorium of extraordinary beauty, along with a palm garden and an artificial lake. Also here is the “Casa de los Volcanes” museum (one of the most important research centres in the world).
El Taro of Tahíche
The César Manrique
Foundation
Céser Manrique's strong commitment to his work and his ecological vision led him to convert a set of lava bubbles into his own home.
Today this house, where he lived for years and where many of leading luminaries of the era came to stay, is home to the artist's Foundation. Decorated with his own artworks and pieces from his private collection its rooms are a tour through the mind of a uniquely talented Canarian artist and hero.
Lago
Martiánez
Right by the shore the Lago Martiánez is a wonderful example of coastal architecture. Its lagoon is over 33,000 m2 and shaped like a giant emerald and its five islands host restaurants, grills and event sites. The terraces and gardens are planted with native plants creating an exotic atmosphere throughout. The artist's works, dotted around the site, fit perfectly with the traditional Canarian architecture.