town hall of Firgas

The Town Hall of Firgas (Ayuntamiento de Firgas) sits on Plaza de San Roque, right at the heart of this small town in the north of Gran Canaria. It is not an ancient monument — the building dates from the 1940s — but its architecture follows a much older, traditional Canarian style, so it blends naturally with the stone houses that surround the square.

What is the history behind the building?

The current town hall was built between 1941 and 1945, with construction formally completed on 16 August 1945. It was designed by architect Fernando Delgado, on land that had previously belonged to Juan Suárez de Figueroa, a descendant of the family regarded as the founders of the settlement. Firgas itself became an independent municipality in 1835; before that date, the area was governed as part of Arucas, a larger town a few kilometres away.

What will you see?

The building follows the neo-Canarian style typical of the archipelago. It has two floors, a basement, and an attic, all topped by a four-sided roof. The most distinctive feature is the use of dark bluish volcanic stone, known locally as cantería azul, framing the windows and the main entrance portal against the lighter plastered facade. The second signature element is a set of wooden balconies made from Canary pine — a hallmark of traditional island architecture also found in places like Las Palmas or Teror, though here on a more modest, local scale. It is worth walking around the building to take in its proportions: a symmetrical two-storey layout with a centred entrance, a pattern common to municipal buildings erected on the island during that period.

How do you get there?

Firgas lies in the northern part of Gran Canaria, roughly a 20–25 minute drive from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and just a few minutes from Arucas. Plaza de San Roque, where the town hall stands, is right in the middle of town, next to the main streets of the old quarter, so it is an easy walk from anywhere in the centre. Firgas is a common stop on north-island road trips, usually paired with a visit to Arucas and Teror.

When is the best time to visit?

Firgas is best explored during the day, when the square in front of the town hall fills with the everyday rhythm of the town — locals moving between cafés, and the facade catching good natural light, especially in the morning. The north of Gran Canaria has a cooler, more humid climate than the south, which keeps the surroundings green for most of the year, so almost any season works for a visit. It is worth avoiding the middle of the day in the hottest summer months, when the sun hits the facade directly.

Frequently asked questions

Can visitors go inside the town hall? It is an active municipal government building, so the interior is used by staff and residents handling official business — visitors mainly view the facade and the square from outside.

How old is the building? The current building was constructed between 1941 and 1945, formally finished on 16 August 1945, although its style deliberately echoes much older traditional Canarian architecture.

What else is worth seeing nearby? Plaza de San Roque and the surrounding streets of Firgas's old quarter make for a pleasant short walk after seeing the town hall, with local cafés and traditional Canarian buildings close by.

Is the town hall worth a trip on its own? The town hall is one of the visual landmarks of the town centre, but it is best enjoyed as part of a wider visit to Firgas, combined with nearby Arucas and Teror in a single day trip.