Garajonay National Park ( Spanish: Parque nacional de Garajonay ) is located in the central part of the island of Homer , Canary Islands , Spain . Received the status of a national park in 1981, and in 1986 was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List . The area of the park is 40 km². The name of the park comes from the rock Garakhonay, the highest point of the island (1484 m). A small plateau located in the park is located at an altitude of 790-1400 m above sea level.
| Garahonai | |
|---|---|
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| IUCN Category II ( National Park ) | |
| basic information | |
| Area | |
| Established | |
| Location | |
| A country |
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| Region | Canary Islands |
 World Heritage Site | |
| Garajonay national park (Garahonai National Park) | |
| Link | No. 380 on the World Heritage List |
| Criteria | vii ix |
| Region | Europe and North America |
| Inclusion | 1986 ( 10th session ) |
Well preserved laurel humid subtropical forests ( Monteverde ) grow in the park, covering a large part of Europe in the Tertiary period . Similar forests, which are also preserved on the Azores and Madeira islands, consist of evergreen laurel trees reaching a height of 40 m, under which a rich biota is formed from grassy plants, undergrowth , invertebrates , birds and bats . Many plant species are endemic to the Canary Islands. Forests occupy 70% of the park.
"Roque Ojila"
"Roque de Agando"
"Roque de La Zarcita"
Gara and Honai
The rock and the park are named after the Guanche lovers Gara and Honaya, whose story resembles the stories of Romeo and Juliet and Hero and Leander . Gara was the princess of Agulo on the island of Homer. During the Benjesman festival, the unmarried girls of Agulo traditionally looked at their reflection in the waters of Chorros del Epina. If the water was clear, this meant that they would find a husband. If muddy, then they face failure in love affairs. When Gara looked into the water, she clearly saw her reflection. However, she looked at him for too long and the sun reflected from the water temporarily blinded her. A sage named Gerian interpreted this as the fact that she should have avoided fire, otherwise he would devour her.
Honai was the son of King Adeje in Tenerife , who arrived on the island to participate in the festival. Honaya's participation in the games attracted the attention of Gara, who fell in love with the young man. Unfortunately, when the engagement was announced, the Teide volcano , which is visible from the island of Homer, began to erupt, as if in disapproval. This was interpreted as a bad sign and the parents of the young people broke off the engagement. Honaya was forced to return to Tenerife, but one night he swam across the strait separating the islands and reunited with his lover. The fugitives' fathers ordered them to be found. Soon the lovers were captured on the mountain, where they decided to settle accounts together with life.
Gallery
Wooden statues of Gara and Honaya in the park
Location of the Garahonai National Park on the island
View of the Teide Volcano from Garahonai Park
Park view from space
In the forest of Garahonai National Park
Links
- Wikimedia Commons has media related to Garahonai National Park
- Garajonai at the Spanish National Parks website (Spanish)
- UNESCO: Garahonai National Park (Canary Islands) (Unavailable link) . Archived on April 11, 2008.
- The legend of Gara and Honaya (Spanish) (unavailable link) . Archived December 28, 2004.