Battery of the Pier

Santa Cruz de Tenerife · Category: Memory · Subcategory: Sites of memory · Year: 1787 · Authors: Andrés Amat de Tortosa

This battery was located at the end of the old pier of Santa Cruz, a small dock that extended into the sea and ended in a hammer shape. The battery had been planned from the very beginning of the pier's construction in the early 18th century, but suffered numerous delays in its construction. It was definitively installed on the semicircular platform at the end of the dock on 31 March 1787, based on a project by the military engineer Andrés Amat de Tortosa. It was armed with six 24-pounder guns, four 16-pounders and two 12-inch mortars. Its garrison consisted of a sergeant, a corporal and nine soldiers.

In the early hours of 25 July 1797, it was temporarily taken by the invading troops commanded by Nelson. After being quickly recovered by the local forces, it acted efficiently against the subsequent waves of English vessels that tried to land again.

In 1812, due to a tremendous maritime storm, the pier battery was completely destroyed, as was the rest of the pier.

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