Former Management of the Sociedad Constructora de Edificios Urbanos (Casa del Barco)

Santa Cruz de Tenerife · Category: Architecture · Subcategory: Civil architecture · Year: 1874-78 · Authors: Manuel de Cámara

A unique building due to its typology, it was designed in 1874 by the architect Vicente Armiño to house the Sociedad de Edificios Urbanos de Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

It occupies an entire block and, at that time, was located on the newly started extension of Calle del Castillo. It initially consisted of two floors, but a year later another architect, Manuel de Cámara, proposed adding another floor to give prestige to the surroundings. 

The main entrance to the building is located in the central opening of the façade facing Calle del Castillo. From there, access is gained to a large courtyard around which the rooms are arranged. The less spectacular side façades face the streets of Jesús Nazareno and Robayna.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the Norwegian company Olsen acquired the building, which became the Olsen’s Alexandra hotel, a business it shared years later with the ship agency on the ground floor; hence the name "Casa del Barco" (House of the Ship), or perhaps because of its curved façade that reminds us of a ship's command post. 

Currently, only the ground floor is used for commercial premises; the upper floors are unoccupied.

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