English House Completes First Phase of Renovation

Cultural Heritage Department of the Cabildo Launches Participatory Process for the Recovery and Use of the BIC

The Cabildo of Fuerteventura, through its Cultural Heritage area, has completed the work of the first phase of the project to restore the Casa del Inglés in the municipality of La Oliva. This initial stage involved an investment of €650,000 and focused on the structural stabilization of the building’s roof and façade.

“This is a fundamental step within a larger project of comprehensive rehabilitation and subsequent use of the property,” explained island president Lola García.

Culture councilor Rayco León highlighted that the works guarantee the safety and stability of the monument and included a study to assess the current condition of the construction and the materials that make up one of the island’s most important heritage assets.

The results of these works will be presented on 18 March at 19:00 in an informational talk at the Raíz del Pueblo Cultural Center. The presentation will be led by the technical directors of the works, architects Fernando Arocha and Deiene González.

During the same event, the Cabildo’s Cultural Heritage Department will launch a mediation process aimed at advancing the building’s recovery from a participatory perspective. The goal is to foster dialogue among the various social agents involved to define the rehabilitation, future use, and development of the property. The process will be coordinated by José Álamo, a social worker and researcher at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC).

The Casa del Inglés is one of the most emblematic buildings in the municipality. Its singular architecture earned it the designation of Bien de Interés Cultural (BIC). The house was originally built by Julián Leal Sicilia, whose family, originally from La Palma, was engaged in agriculture and trade between the Canary Islands and America. Later, it became the property of John Parkinson, an English naturalist who studied the island’s flora and fauna during long stays in Fuerteventura. Parkinson’s presence left a lasting legacy, and the building is still known today as the Casa del Inglés.