Road to La Laguna

Santa Cruz de Tenerife · Category: Architecture · Subcategory: Squares, streets & markets · Year: S. XVI

This route was the oldest and most important of all those departing from Santa Cruz. For almost two hundred and fifty years, the journey between Santa Cruz and La Laguna was made, in its first stretch, along what was known as the Camino de San Sebastián. It started from the La Caleta landing stage, ran parallel to the coastline, crossed the Santos ravine at El Cabo, and ascended along its right bank up to the hermitage of San Sebastián. From there, through wasteland, it continued inland until reaching La Laguna.

The construction of the Zurita bridge in 1754 marked a change in the path connecting Santa Cruz and La Laguna. The new route started from the same place as before, although it no longer had to cross the El Cabo neighbourhood, but instead climbed along the edge of the Aceite ravine (today Imeldo Serís) until reaching the esplanade that would later become Weyler Square. From here it ascended along a straight path, today Rambla de Pulido, until reaching the Zurita bridge, where the ravine's course was crossed at great height. From here the road continued its ascent to the Cruz del Señor, then took the Cuesta de Piedra, reached Vistabella, and continued climbing another slope, the Molino slope (today La Cuesta), until arriving at La Laguna via Gracia.

Throughout the second half of the 18th century, this tortuous path was gradually and with great effort made suitable for the transit of people and goods, despite its unstable surface, neglected gradients, steep slopes (especially on the Cuesta Piedra) and frequent damage.

By the mid-19th century, under the newly created Junta de Obras Públicas (Public Works Board), this route became a main road, with prospects of extending to La Orotava, thus becoming a vital infrastructure in the complex island network of land routes. The tramway that connected Santa Cruz with La Laguna at the beginning of the 20th century, and later extended to Tacoronte, followed the layout of this road.

The appearance of the Northern motorway, projected in 1947, was a decisive factor in the old main road beginning to lose prominence, although it always maintained heavy traffic, becoming over the years a fully built-up interurban road on both sides along its entire length.

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