Castle of San Cristóbal

The Castle of San Cristóbal was the main fortress of Santa Cruz de Tenerife for over three centuries. Although it no longer towers over the coast today, its remains are preserved under the Plaza de España, in the heart of the capital, and can be visited.

History of the castle

Construction began in December 1575, by order of the governor Juan Álvarez de Fonseca, and the castle came into service in January 1577, when its artillery was installed. It was the first large fortification in Tenerife and the main defense of the bay of Santa Cruz. Additionally, it served as the residence of the Captain Generals and the seat of the Military Government.

Its most famous moment came on July 25, 1797, during the British attack led by Admiral Horatio Nelson. According to tradition, a shot from the cannon known as El Tigre shattered his right arm, which had to be amputated. The defense of Santa Cruz ended with the defeat of the British fleet.

From demolition to rediscovery

With the growth of the city, the castle lost its military function and in 1928 it was demolished to build the Plaza de España. For decades, its remains remained buried until in 2006, during the remodeling of the square, its ancient walls were uncovered.

Thanks to that discovery, the project for the square was modified to include an underground gallery where you can see today:

• The remains of the original walls of the fortress
• The cannon El Tigre, a bronze piece about 3 meters long and 2,000 kilos, displayed in its own room since 2009
• Panels explaining the defensive history of Santa Cruz, managed by the Museums of Tenerife

The visit is brief and highly recommended if you stroll through the center of Santa Cruz. And from home, you can see live how the place where the castle stood looks today with our webcam of Plaza de España.