New 2€ coin to feature La Gomera island

Since the end of January the Spanish national mint has begun producing commemorative two Euro coins which will not show the portrait of the king of Spain on the reverse side. Instead these new 2 Euros (above) will show La Gomera's emblematic and iconic Roque Agando (more here...) together with examples of the fauna in the island's 1.8 million years old laurisilva forest. Both can be found in Garajonay national park, the stunningly beautiful UNESCO World Heritage site which covers about 11% of the entire island, and to which the new coins are dedicated.

The Spanish king probably won't mind, as he has visited La Gomera and admired its national park on several occasions.

The new coinage will come into circulation ''in the first quarter of 2022'' according to the official decree issued two months ago, so keep your eyes on any 2 Euro pieces in your change from now on. This should also be of interest to numismatologists as the 2022 commemorative issue dedicated to La Gomera will be strictly limited in numbers by the national mint.

Roque Agando in the morning mist

La Gomera's emblematic Roque Agando is the most prominent of a group of volcanic plugs called Los Roques. The others are named Roque Ojila and Roque Zarcita, and sometimes Roque Carmona and Roque Las Lajas are also included.

Agando rises to 1250 metres beside the main road leading west from the island's capital San Sebastián just before Garajonay National Park in the centre of the island.

The summit is not accessible and climbing it is not permitted as it forms part of a protected area.

Historic remains left by the indigenous Guanche tribes have been found on the summit and these were in good condition until the 1980s, when they were ''disturbed and looted by a German group making a documentary film''. 

September 11 tragedy 35 years ago in La Gomera

The whole world now remembers 9/11, but in La Gomera the date is remembered for another very sad incident which happened in 1984. On the 11th of September 35 years ago today twenty people died in a forest fire near Roque Agando, a landmark rock formation in La Gomera's mountains above the village of La Laja where a forest fire had broken out. The spot is on an exposed ridge and the victims were trapped there when the wind suddenly changed direction trapping them in fire and intense heat. Among the victims were local volunteer firefighters and several people from Tenerife, including a former mayor of Puerto de la Cruz. The tragedy is one of the worst fire-related disasters in all of Spain ever and the sad-looking rusty steel monument (see my archive image above, the monument has since been repainted) near the spot lists all 20 names of the victims. The area around Roque Agando, which stands at the eastern end of the national park, was ablaze again  during the devastating fire of 2012, but thankfully there were no casualties in that major fire.

Another sad anniversary on September 11th

The monument close to Los Roques on La Gomera island with trees burnt in 2012 in the background

The whole world now remembers 9/11, but on La Gomera the date is remembered for another very sad incident which happened in 1984. On the 11th of September 33 years ago twenty people died in a forest fire near Roque Agando, a landmark rock formation in La Gomera's mountains above the village of La Laja where a forest fire had broken out. The spot is on an exposed ridge and the victims were trapped there when the wind suddenly changed direction enclosing them in fire and intense heat. Among the victims were local volunteer firefighters and some people from Tenerife, including a former mayor of Puerto de la Cruz. The tragedy is one of the worst fire-related disasters in all of Spain ever and a sad-looking rusty steel monument near the spot lists all 20 names of the victims. The area around Roque Agando which stands at the eastern end of the national park was ablaze again  during the devastating fire of 2012, but thankfully there were no casualties in that major fire.

Roque Agando at dawn

Interlude

Rockface

The very top of the 'Roque de la Zarcita' , a volcanic cone or plug, which at 1234m height
(about 4000 ft) stands even taller than La Gomera's landmark 'Roque de Agando' just across the road.

Have you seen this giant ?

This giant has been sitting there with his bag of  goodies for millennia, but won't get a lift ...
Image taken near Roque Agando, La Gomera, a couple of days ago © lagomera1.blogspot.com

Why September 11th will never be forgotten on La Gomera

The whole world now remembers 9/11, but on La Gomera the date has an added very sad dimension since the year 1984. On that day 29 years ago twenty people died in a forest fire near Roque Agando, a landmark rock formation in La Gomera's mountains above the village of La Laja where a forest fire had broken out. The spot is on an exposed ridge and the victims were trapped there when the wind suddenly changed direction enclosing them in fire and intense heat. Among the victims were locals and some people from Tenerife, including a former mayor of Puerto de la Cruz. The tragedy is one of the worst fire-related disasters in all of Spain ever and a sad-looking rusty steel monument near the spot lists all 20 names of the victims. The area around Roque Agando which stands at the eastern end of the national park was ablaze again in last year's devastating fires, but thankfully there were no casualties in 2012.

Roque Agando, the huge remnant core of a long eroded volcano, near where the tragedy occurred