Battery of the Conception

Santa Cruz de Tenerife · Category: Memory · Subcategory: Sites of memory · Year: 1659

The battery of Nuestra Señora de la Concepción was built between 1656 and 1659, on the southern shore of the Blas Díaz cove, on a point or spit that closed the cove. Later, in 1673, it was rebuilt in masonry on a rectangular plan. It had nine embrasures, eight on its front and one on the right flank. It had a firing step for musketeers.

When the royal customs house was built behind it, whose construction began in 1719, the part of the site where its depots and warehouses were located was removed. It was reformed again in 1728 and, after suffering damage in the floods of 7 February 1731, it was rebuilt the following year. In 1788 it was armed with two 24-pounder cannons, two 16-pounders and two 12-inch mortars; and garrisoned by an officer, a sergeant, a corporal and 17 soldiers.

At the end of the 19th century it housed several warehouses for the artillery corps and facilities for the bitumen factories, used to repair weapons or water conduit pipes. In 1924 it was declared inadequate for defence and two years later it was handed over to the city council, which demolished it to clear the way for the maritime avenue.

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