Sundials

Church of Our Lady of Las Nieves (S / C de La Palma)

A vertical sundial, formed by two quadrants (morning and afternoon) made of tea wood (the heartwood from a Canary pine tree), carved and painted, 73.5 x 73.5 cm, with a metallic gnomon. (The gnomon is the raised part of a sundial that casts the shadow.)

This replica was installed on August 5, 2012. The original sundial is believed to be the oldest of the Canary Islands (prior to 1740). However only the east-facing quadrant of the original survives.

Church of San Francisco (S / C de La Palma)

This is a vertical sundial, made from tea wood, carved and painted, 108 x 108 cm, with a metallic gnomon.

It is a replica, installed on 22 June 2012. The original was built in the early eighteenth century for the Irish merchant Macghee Theobald. This sundial presided over the main entrance of the church of San Francisco for nearly 250 years, until its retirement in the late twentieth century.

Tazacorte

This is an equatorial armillary sundial, with an swivelling analemmatic gnomon to measure the time accurately throughout the year. Located on the waterfront, is built of reinforced concrete and stainless steel. It consists of two sectors of open ring, attached at their midpoint, ranging in size from 288 to 348 cm diameter.

Designed by Rafael Soler Gayá in 2002. It currently lacks the gnomon and several pieces of external sectors, which are being repaired

Stars Island La Palma, turismo de estrellas, Isla de La Palma, Canarias

Puerto Naos Beach

This is a vertical declining sundial. It is an unusual specimen, both for the material and its location. The sundial is painted directly on the façade of a terrace balcony, and one of the drains from the terrace is used as a gnomon.

Designed and conceived by D. Conrado Álvarez Hernández in the late 20th century.

Fuencaliente Salt Pans

Under construction. This is a horizontal sundial which imitates a crystallization pond or salt pan. Inside, screen-printed tiles are embedded with a multicoloured picture of a brine shrimp (Artemia salina). The gnomon is a ‘raspadera’ – one of the tools which the artisans use to collect salt.

Others

Because the sundial is a very interesting decorative and educational element, it is not surprising that we find others throughout the island of La Palma. In some schools, on the façade of a private home (on the San José – Las Ledas road, Brena Baja) or even as part of the decoration in accommodation which is a part of the astrotourism group. Although it is not considered a sundial, it is interesting to note, in this section, the Volcán de San Antonio Astronomical Viewpoint, where a standing stones use the shadow of the sun to mark the changing seasons. For more information visit the section Astronomical viewpoint San Antonio Volcano – Fuencaliente.

VISIT THE OBSERVATORY

The Roque de los Muchachos Observatory is open to visitors.
Take this chance and enjoy the stars from one of the most privileged sites on the planet for astronomic observations.

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