Cezar Manrique, Lanzarote

César Manrique is Lanzarotes best-known, internationally renowned artist, who with his outstandingly imaginative skills as painter, sculptor, architect, designer, town-planner and environmentalist created the visual aspect of the island as it can be seen today. Cesar Manrique made an important contribution to preserve the vernacular architecture of the island and to prevent concrete tourist resorts from spreading without control all over Lanzarote in the '50s and '60s. His house built over lava bubbles has been turned into a trust and displays fine examples of his creative genius. 

Manrique was an internationally acclaimed artist, whose paintings were exhibited across Europe as well as in Japan and the United States. He returned to his native island in 1968 with the intention “to make it one of the most beautiful places on the planet due to the endless possibilities Lanzarote has to offer”. And from then on Lanzarote became César Manrique’s ‘atelier’.

César Manrique had an enormous influence on the regional council who gave him free hand to do whatever he wanted. According to his autocratic aesthetic guidelines, no building – except church towers – should be taller than a palm tree. (The only ‘skyscraper’ on the island is one hotel structure in Arrecife but this was built during his absence from the island). He also banned roadside hoardings as well as the tipping of rubbish and electric cables had to be laid underground. He also recommended that all villages should only decorate in white and green – or the odd blue in coastal areas where he allowed it. He encouraged people to renovate their homes and maintain a certain character that is in keeping with the local environment.

Cezar Manriques house is well worth a visit.