Today is a historic day for Arrecife and all of Lanzarote. Casa Grande , the imposing residence of Doña Manuela García Parrilla and Don Fermín Rodríguez-Béthéncourt, grandparents of the current owners of EL GRIFO, has been officially opened.
Manuela and Fermín purchased a plot of land at 5 Fajardo Street in Arrecife, where they built a building with a home, a doctor's office, and a wine cellar. Construction was completed in 1923.
It was the winery's commercial center and where the wine was unloaded from EL GRIFO, in a two-tank cart, for sale and shipment through the Port of Arrecife, following the example of other winemakers.
A restored and unique icon
Built in 1923 on Fajardo Street as the next step after moving from his first home, the mansion was designed in an eclectic-classicist style, with turrets, an entrance garden, and over 1,100 m² of floor space. It also had a dual function: part residence/medical office and part warehouse/cellar linked to his wine businesses, including the EL GRIFO winery.
With this restoration, Casa Grande begins to fulfill its new role: to become the headquarters of the renovated Lanzarote Island Archaeological Museum , a space that opens its first rooms to the public today after a careful restoration.
A cultural and heritage landmark
The project represents:
-
The renovation of an iconic building in bourgeois Arrecife and part of Don Fermín's family legacy.
-
The first phase of the museum , presented in the side aisles, features a selection of exhibits and audiovisual technology that enriches the experience.
-
The commitment of the Lanzarote Council and local institutions to protect and disseminate heritage, keeping the connection to its history alive.
Another step forward in the ties between EL GRIFO, culture and community
This event reaffirms our commitment to the history and value of Lanzarote's heritage. Casa Grande , directly linked to the origins of the Rodríguez family and the evolution of El Grifo, recovers its essence as a place of encounter, knowledge, and culture.
