CASTLES ARRECIFE

Castillo de San Gabriel is a historic fortress occupying a small island off Arrecife's coast in Lanzarote, connected to the mainland by two causeways including the distinctive Puente de las Bolas drawbridge topped with cannonballs. Originally built as a wooden fortress in the 16th century, it was rebuilt in stone as an important defensive post for the harbor after being destroyed by Amazigh pirates. Named a National Historic Monument in 1972, the castle now houses an ethnographic museum displaying approximately 3,000 objects, including primitive utensils, ceramics, dioramas, and historical documents illustrating Lanzarote's cultural evolution. The fortress features thick stone walls dividing compact museum rooms and a rooftop terrace offering panoramic views of Arrecife and the Atlantic Ocean.

Castillo de San José is an 18th-century fortress in Arrecife, Lanzarote, built during the reign of Charles III to strengthen the defense of Puerto de Naos and Arrecife's harbor front. The structure earned the popular nickname Fortress of Hunger because its construction provided employment during economic hardship. After losing military relevance, it deteriorated significantly until artist César Manrique proposed restoration and conversion into a museum in the mid-1970s. He personally directed the remodeling, preserving the fortress's character while adapting it for art display. The International Museum of Contemporary Art (MIAC) officially opened December 8, 1976. Today it houses contemporary works by Canarian, national, and international artists across upper galleries, a Canarian artists room, and sculpture gallery. A glass-enclosed semicircular dining structure serves à la carte Canarian cuisine with views of Arrecife Bay.