Bandama Caldera facts for kids
The Bandama Natural Monument is a super cool place on the island of Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands, Spain. It's part of a bigger protected area called the Tafira Protected Landscape. This monument is famous for its amazing volcanic crater, the Caldera de Bandama. It's a special spot for learning about geology!
Contents
Exploring the Bandama Natural Monument
What is the Bandama Caldera?
The Caldera de Bandama is a huge hole in the ground made by a volcano. Even though it's called a "caldera," it's actually a type of volcanic crater known as a maar. A maar is formed when hot magma meets groundwater, causing a big explosion!
The highest point on the edge of this crater is called Pico de Bandama. It reaches about 569 meters (1,867 feet) above sea level. The crater itself is very wide, about 1,000 meters (3,300 feet) across, and quite deep, around 200 meters (700 feet).
This amazing crater was formed during the last big volcanic eruptions on Gran Canaria. These eruptions happened about 2,000 years ago. This makes the Caldera de Bandama the most recent place where volcanic activity has been recorded on the island.
Nature Inside the Caldera
If you look down into the bottom of the caldera, you'll see volcanic ash in different colors. It's also home to some special plants that are native to the Canary Islands.
There's even a unique bush called Dama de Bandama (Parolinia grabiuscula) that only grows inside this caldera and nowhere else in the world! It's a truly special plant.
Where is Bandama Located?
The Caldera de Bandama is located where three different towns meet. These towns are Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Santa Brígida, and Telde.
Gallery
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Caldera de Bandama, Gran Canaria
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Caldera de Bandama, 2016
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View toward the northeast from Pico de Bandama, 2016
See also
In Spanish: Caldera de Bandama para niños
