Castle of San Andrés

Santa Cruz de Tenerife · Category: Architecture · Subcategory: Military architecture · Year: 1770 · Authors: Alfonso Ochando

The San Andrés cove used to be a refuge for ships, but it was also frequented by pirates and smugglers who, given its distant location from the city centre, saw in it not only the possibility of taking on water and supplying materials such as wood and firewood, but also the opportunity to capture vessels navigating near the port of Santa Cruz. It was also a suitable place for a possible landing of invaders who, crossing the nearby ravines, could enter the island and surprise its main cities.

In 1607 there is already evidence of a first attempt to build some armed defence in San Andrés. Almost a century later, in 1706, the idea materialised in a small tower that was soon ruined by the flood of the ravine on which it was built.

In 1770, construction began on the new tower designed by military engineer Alfonso Ochando, which is the one we see today. It was built with local ashlar and had accommodation quarters, a gunpowder and equipment store, as well as a cistern. The upper platform housed six cannons and two mortars. A bell gable with bells was also added to give the alarm signal. The whole complex was accessed by means of a drawbridge .

In July 1797, as it was the most distant defence from the centre of the combat line against Nelson's troops, it did not receive the news of the British forces' surrender in time, so it continued firing its volleys at the already surrendered English ships.

The tower was disarmed in 1878 as it was no longer effective in coastal defence.

At the end of 1896, a powerful avalanche from the ravine buried the foundations, cracking the building and causing half of its structure to collapse, as can still be seen today.

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