Do you know the legend of Lagomar in Lanzarote?
Before you know the story it is essential to know the characteristics of the place where it treats it. That’s why we’ll talk about where this legend is about first.
Where did the Legend of Lagomar take place?
The legend of Lagomar takes place in Nazareth on the island of Lanzarote, it is a place that seems built specifically for a film. The house in question was discovered by the Uruguayan architect Beatriz Van Hoff in the 1990s when she came to the island with her husband, also an architect.
They had the visionary idea of building a restaurant and a bar there, for which they received the help of César Manrique and Jesús Soto. Both provided different points of view and contributions that helped to choose the aesthetics of the place.
“We met César Manrique, who was the one who gave us the directions so that we could continue his legacy in the undulating topography of Lanzarote, the curved walls, the planters, the vegetation of Lanzarote and we dared with the bottom, but the house was already made”, explains Beatriz Van Hoff, owner of Lagomar.
Its spectacular architecture, built on a volcanic quarry, takes advantage of the labyrinths and natural caves of this space to create an oasis in Nazareth, Lanzarote.

Lagomar has remained constantly evolving since its construction, gradually incorporating elements that fit perfectly with its initial design. A living space that, although easy to identify with other locations on the island, such as César Manrique’s own Foundation, also has a marked Arabic inspiration.

The protagonist of the legend of Lagomar: Omar Sharif
Lanzarote has always been a recurring setting in the recording of productions from all over the world. In the Yellow House, former Cabildo de Arrecife, you can enjoy today and permanently a sample of all the films shot so far on the island.
It is no wonder, then, that, in the 1970s, the popular Egyptian actor Omar Sharif (star of films such as Doctor Zhivago or Lawrence of Arabia) came to Lanzarote to play the role of Nemo in the film “The Mysterious Island”, a story based on the novel by Jules Verne.
Legend has it that it was then, while visiting the island, when she knew the House that was not yet known as Lagomar and that she would be baptized under this name after it passed through her hands, in a deserved gesture towards the interpreter.
At the time, Lagomar was much less extensive. The change would come later thanks to those who owned them from 1989, the architects Beatriz van Hoff and Dominik von Boettinger, always advised by the local artists mentioned to respect both topography and island architecture to the fullest.
The origin of the Legend of Lagomar
Many versions of Lagomar’s membership of the legendary actor, some even question the idea that Lagomar once belonged to Omar Sharif. But the most popular, and the one shown during the visit, is the one that tells that, just two days after the actor had acquired this wonderful location, San Benady, the promoter himself who sold it to him, would have wanted to recover it desperately.

Knowing Omar’s love of the game, he would have challenged him to bridge, hiding a small detail, Benady was Champion of Europe in this card game. After the departure took place as expected, St. Benady regained his former property.
From this story it has been said that nothing is true and that it was a ploy by Benady to promote the sale of the rest of his houses in Nazareth, under the complicit help of Omar Sharif. In any case, there is not enough documentation to contrast the facts, and every speculation about them serves only to contribute to the myth and feed the curiosity of their own and strangers.

Currently LagOmar is the scene of important activities of Lanzarote’s cultural agenda, is rented for events and also has an apartment rental area. But, above all, in the imaginary of Lanzarote LagOmar was and always will be the home of one of its most beloved actors, regardless of what happened that night, in that game of letters.
If you are thinking of visiting the island of Lanzarote to enjoy its wonderful landscapes and see in person where the legend of Lagomar happened, remember that in Hosticasa we have the best accommodations on the island to make your stay ideal, you can access them through this link..
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