The Garoé, old trails, rural architecture, viewpoints, churches and farming landscapes sustain the collective memory of El Hierro.
Today El Hierro is presented as a reference in sustainability thanks to pioneering energy initiatives, yet this contemporary discourse connects with a historical tradition of adaptation and self-sufficiency. Its volcanic landscapes, viewpoints and marine environments complete a very singular insular image.
Among its main reference points are Myth of the edge, Biosphere Reserve, Energy innovation, which connect landscape, memory and everyday life. Heritage combines material remains, cultural landscapes and living practices, so it must be read together with history, territory and social life.
Key points
El Garoé and its legendary memory
The Holy Tree (Garoé), a til (Canarian laurel) that captured the fog and supplied water to the bimbaches, is the most powerful historical symbol of El Hierro; it was destroyed by a storm in 1610.
Vernacular architecture of El Hierro
The island's traditional houses, with gabled roofs and dry-stone walls, are concentrated in the municipalities of Valverde and Frontera; preserving them is part of the island's heritage.
Rock engravings of El Hierro
The island preserves numerous bimbache rock engravings on summits and hillsides; they bear witness to ritual practices and to a distinctive material culture that history has barely documented.
Churches and chapels
The Virgen de los Reyes, patron saint of the island, has her sanctuary in La Dehesa; the Bajada de la Virgen is the most important festival, held every four years with a procession and a pilgrimage.