The town of Garachico in Tenerife

The town was completely destroyed in 1706 during the eruption of the volcano Trevejo. After that fateful day, she reappears from its ashes and we present today its charm through an extraordinary architecture. The city and port of Garachico jealously guard the footsteps of their glorious past rich in large houses, convents and churches. Not only can contemplate churches and monasteries, but also a series of very elegant original houses with spacious interior patios, extraordinary facades and dark entrances that make them absolutely remarkable.

Garachico has always taken care of its environment and at any time, protected its cultural aspects. In 1980 the city received from King of Spain Juan Carlos I, the Gold Medal of Fine Arts for the care given to its artistic and historical heritage, and its streets, squares and gardens. Garachico has received other awards and other national awards.

The city was also ranked “of cultural interest” in the “historical complex” by the Canaries Government in March 1994. Unesco is currently considering his candidacy as Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Celebrations of San Roque are a good excuse to visit and know the city. These festivals, declared of national tourist interest, give rise to a popular pilgrimage in August.

Coordinates: Latitude 28.372069 N; longitude 16.76518 O

One can see on its front two portals in stone.

The monastery has a floor which is accessed by a wide monumental stone staircase with Mudejar coffered ceiling. The pillars of wood balconies are remarkable.

This is where is now the House of Culture, which houses the municipal library, the municipal archives, the Museum of Natural Science, the Local History Museum and an exhibition hall.

Visiting hours: Monday to Friday from 10 am to 19 pm - Saturday from 10 am to 15 pm.

Entry fee: € 1.

The church is built against the former monastery which she was the chapel.

Inside was built a museum on the turbulent history of the city, natural disasters and conflicts between peoples.

Visits: Monday to Friday, from 10 am to 10 pm; Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 15 pm.

The monastery is distinguished by its seven balconies resting on bulbous consoles.

The monastery church was built in place of the old hermitage of San Sebastián and was spared by the volcanic eruption of 1706 due to its prime location.

The episode of “desamortización de Mendizábal” in the nineteenth century convent dispossessed of much of its heritage.

The monastery entrance leads today to the hospital - "Hospice Hospital residencia de Ancianos”.

The chapel was rebuilt in order to accommodate the Auditorium and the Contemporary Art Museum.

The St. Dominic monastery is located on a height that you can see when you come to Icod de los Vinos.

Visiting hours: Monday to Friday 10 am to 13 pm and from 16 am to 18 pm.

The current building dates from the eighteenth century as the previous residence was almost completely destroyed by the eruption of 1706. It was rebuilt on the same planes as the first.

The building is distinguished by its doorways Canarian pine and its Mirador with its mullioned windows Mudejar.

Currently it is a rural hotel which is a good example of traditional domestic architecture of the island baroque.

Address: Roundabout San Francisco.

Address: Street Santo Domingo (near the former convent of Santo Domingo)

The hermitage of San Roque was rebuilt in 1736. It is the entrance to the town on the road that comes from Icod de los Vinos.

The Feast of San Roque, declared of tourist interest, is celebrated annually on 16 August. The festivities of San Roque are among the most popular of the island.

This beautiful religious building was founded by Cristóbal de Ponte in 1520. The work in stone was completed in 1541. The tower and facade, very elegant mix of Plateresque elements with those of the Renaissance.

Despite the small changes it has undergone over the years we can admire its beautiful doors and very white tower.

The interior, divided into three naves, is distinguished by the harmonious distribution of arches and columns and the many side chapels with altars, but also by the Mudejar coffered ceiling. In the sanctuary, a classical tabernacle houses the statue of the sculptor from Seville, Martín de Andújar (first half of the eighteenth century), El Crucificado. On each side of the tabernacle, there are statues of Santa Ana, the patron saint of Garachico, and San Joaquín sculptor of Gran Canaria José Luján Pérez (1756-1815). It houses jewels such as the Cristo de la Misericordia, brought from Mexico in 1578, the baptismal font and the altar of the altarpiece.

Although it was severely damaged by the volcanic eruption of 1706 is reused cements its reconstruction between 1714 and 1721. The church was restored in the 1990s.

The building is spread over 2 years, and called on Francés de Álava (Ambassador of Spain) for plans. It is a building entirely of stone in the square base which occupies 6,000 m² 20,000 the land on which it was erected, with towers over 16 meters high.

The front door has several arms: in the middle is the main emblem and the most ornately carved, which appear heraldic arms of Emperor Charles I of Spain and V of Germany, who were also those of his son Philip II. It is surrounded by the Governor Álvarez de Fonseca and probably the one damaged by the time the family Viña Negrón right and that of Tenerife and family del Hoyo on the left.

In the park adjoining the two guns pointed proudly to the sea continue to show the past of the city prestige.

The eruption of volcano Garachico in 1706 destroyed much of Garachico but the castle San Miguel survived.

Today the building, very well preserved, belongs to the town of Garachico who installed an information center there on Heritage (open 10 to 18 pm); we find the history of places and a more interactive section on festivals and local events. The building regularly hosts very interesting exhibitions about the history of the city but also the flora and fauna of the region. The public can also discover temporary exhibitions of contemporary and classical art in both vaulted rooms of the building.

The castillo de San Miguel overlooks the sea.

Address: av. of Tomé Cano.

The park of the old Puerta de Tierra has anteroom instead of Juan González de la Torre. This square has retained its stone structure that allowed better control the comings and goings of passengers and cargo in the port. It dates back to the early days of the port of Garachico.

Found in an old press gardens that belonged to the hacienda of San Juan Degollado. With the bust of Rafael Alberti, was created in this square corner of poets (“Rincón de los Poetas”).

The Puerta de la Tierra, carved into the lava, formerly gave access to the port.

Address: next to the castle of San Miguel.

Venezuela has indeed welcomed many migrants from Garachico and this city was born many of the ancestors of the inhabitants of this South American country.

Its first owners belonged to the family Ponte, but it then became the property of the Counts of La Gomera with the marriage of members of these two families.

We owe this palace to stonecutters of the island of Gran Canaria, Luis and Diego Báez Marichal who were under the orders of master builder Antonio Pérez. She was devastated by the volcanic eruption of 1706 and it had to be rebuilt.

The first main building facade is still in the state with its central portal and its walls with Corinthian columns, crowned by capitals and friezes with neat symmetry. The second main building of the facade and interior of the palace were restored in recent years.

Among the most significant elements of its architecture, we must mention its large tower which allowed to monitor the traffic of ships entering the port. This house is also distinguished for its pediment with six large windows and stone staircase. The house retains many valuable furniture and porcelain and paintings dating from the seventeenth and eighteenth century.

It is the present Hotel San Roque.

Address: Street Estebán de Ponte, 34.

Visiting Times: house owned by an individual.

Address: Street Estebán de Ponte, 31

We find in this simple hermitage anonymous seventeenth century statue of Nuestra Señora de los Reyes accompanied by the Magi and several oil paintings.

It has a lovely stone staircase and balconies.

The hacienda has inside a chapel dedicated to San Antonio de Padua (St. Anthony of Padua), built in 1633 by Alonso de Ponte y Jiménez.

Address: near the street of Santo Domingo.

It was rebuilt 40 years later, in 1749, thanks to Bishop Guillén and the new monastery was opened the same year. It is distinguished by its mullioned windows on one side, and through the window and the main altarpiece of the eighteenth century.

The chapel, with a single nave and Mudejar inspiration, is chaired by the statue of Nuestra Señora de la Concepción, a statue of the early nineteenth century came from Seville, located in the central niche of the altarpiece dating him from the first half of the eighteenth century.

It is found in the choir statue of Nuestra Señora de La Luz, which, according to tradition, would have appeared in the fields of slag, the Malpaís de Isora (Guía de Isora) in 1570. This statue was venerated for a long time by both Garachico and Guía de Isora. To see the statue of San Diego del Alcalá (seventeenth century) the sculptor Matíanez Montañez.

Visiting hours: only the chapel can be visited.

Address: Street Estebán de Ponte.

It was erected in 1990 by the association Chicharros Mensajeros. We owe it to the sculptor Fernando Garcíarramos.

The place is also a magnificent panoramic site that offers a splendid view of the city and its port and the lava flow from the eruption of 1706.

Address: near the port.

Address: Avenida Marítima.

There is another mill close to the street of Santo Domingo.

It contains a statue of San Pedro Apóstol of the Canary school and a nice silver lamp.

This hermitage is located outside the city, in the hamlet of San Pedro de Daute. To get there, you take the road that goes next to the port.

Address: hamlet of San Pedro de Daute.

The chapel of Cristo de la Misericordia houses one of the most venerated statue of Garachico, a Christ who comes from Mexico and has been achieved with corn dough by the Indians of Michoacán. Since the mid-seventeenth century, the lustral festivals are held in his honor. One can admire the altar three paintings from the seventeenth century.

To also see the altarpiece of the Chapel of El Santísimo with the statue of San Francisco (early seventeenth) and a processional monstrance from the XVI century coming from the convent of Santa Clara, now disappeared.

Lava arm that reached the sea now make up El Caletón, an area of natural pools on the coast.

The old coastal cliffs, or “acantilado costero” which covers the neighboring municipalities, is a protected site because of its great natural value. Beside its dramatic appearance, it brings together many species of flora and fauna.

In the sixteenth century were founded convents of Franciscans, Dominicans and Augustinians, the latter with college.

In 1646 one hundred people were killed and forty boats were sunk during a landslide.

There were no deaths but the city was covered largely from lava, the neighboring vineyard was destroyed and the port of great commercial importance, was filled by lava, determining the end of the prosperity of the city. After this episode the merchants moved to Puerto de la Cruz and La Laguna (Santa Cruz).

In 1773 it had its first mayor elected by the people.

Garachico home to the ancient port of Tenerife, and the San Roque is a few minutes walk from the old center. It offers views of the sea, the surrounding countryside and the snowy peak of Teide. You can play golf, go diving or deep sea fishing. However, you will have an equally enjoyable stay lazing about the pool.

Hotel San Roque

Calle Esteban de Ponte, 32

Garachico - Isla Baja, Tenerife, Spain

Its central courtyard with palm trees and ancient dragon trees, gardens and vegetable gardens make this a unique and special place. Guests can walk the many trails that line the property.

Some days it is possible to visit the private part and the chapel of the house. Because of its great historical, artistic and ecological, authorities have classified the building as protection.

The hotel has 26 rooms, rustic style, with a terrace, bathroom, safe and heating. Eight of them, called type B, are in a separate building, just 500 meters from the hotel reception.

The restaurant offers, in addition to a delicious breakfast, typical dishes of the region.

Other facilities: bar, Internet corner, game room, meeting room, sauna, jacuzzi, gym, heated pool, tennis court, croquet, mini golf and a small beach.

Finca Malpais El Guincho

38450 Tenerife - Garachico (Tenerife)