UNESCO World Heritage Site – Garajonay National Park

The volcanic rock tower 'Roque de Agando' and details of the laurel forest in Garajonay National Park. At the upper right, the circular inscription of the issuing state 'ESPAÑA' and the year of issue '2022', with the 'M' mint mark of the Madrid Mint below.

Garajonay National Park lies at the heart of the Canary Island of La Gomera and is regarded as one of the most significant remnants of the Tertiary-era laurel forest belt that once covered large parts of the Mediterranean region millions of years ago. As Europe's climate grew drier, this forest type retreated to the humid northern slopes of the Canary Islands, where it survives to this day in extraordinary density. The evergreen laurel, Erica and myrtle forests of Garajonay form a dense, mist-laden ecosystem with a primeval character, home to numerous endemic animal and plant species. In 1986, UNESCO recognised the outstanding universal value of this natural area and added the park to the World Heritage List — making it one of the first natural sites in Spain on the list.

La Gomera itself, covering around 370 square kilometres, is one of the smaller Canary Islands and is shaped by its rugged volcanic relief, whose striking basalt formations rise up to 1,487 metres above sea level. The centrally located park covers about 40 percent of the island's area and protects not only the forest but also the island's characteristic water system: Garajonay captures trade-wind clouds, thereby feeding the population's water supply. Spain honoured this natural heritage with an issue in its UNESCO World Heritage series in 2022, drawing attention to a natural area that, while internationally recognised, remains comparatively little known outside the Canary Islands.