San Bartolome de Tirajana (Tunte)

San Bartolome de Tirajana (Tunte)

The Municipal Town of San Bartolomé de Tirajana is situated at a distance of 54 kilometres from the capital, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. This municipality is the biggest in Gran Canaria. Its mountainous landscape alternates with deep gullies, which extend towards the beautiful beaches of its coastal region. The municipality of San Bartolomé de Tirajana combines beach and mountain tourism. The distance from the coast to the highest point of San Bartolomé is 40 kilometres. In the old quarter of the village, known as Tunte, stands the Church of San Bartolomé de Tirajana, consecrated in 1922, one of the most traditional and emblematic buildings of the village. Tunte may seem like a small provincial town but it’s the headquarters of one of Spain’s richest municipalities (per resident). This gives it a quiet air of self-confidence and means that the roads are always well-maintained and the hedges freshly trimmed. Tunte has a long history as a farming town and many of the houses here are almost 500 years old. It’s had the same problems as most rural towns (ageing population, etc) but is going through a bit of a renaissance thanks to Gran Canaria’s booming wine and olive oil farms. Tunte is found at the foot of the Morros del Pinar and next to the bed of the Barranco de Tirajana (the Tirajana Gully), at an altitude of 890 metres. Its priviledged position in the centre of the Caldera de Tirajana (the Tirajana Crater) has made it the main crossroads for communication between the north and south of Gran Canaria.