Castle of San Joaquín

Santa Cruz de Tenerife · Category: Architecture · Subcategory: Military architecture · Year: 1780 · Authors: Andrés Amat de Tortosa

The Castle of San Joaquín was built in 1780 halfway between Santa Cruz and the city of La Laguna, with the purpose of defending against a possible invasion that could break the defensive lines of the port and penetrate the island. In anticipation of this eventuality, two small batteries had already been established in 1586 around La Cuesta, although they were quickly abandoned.

In 1780, with Joaquín Ibáñez Cuevas, Marquis of la Cañada, as general commander, the military engineer Andrés Amat de Tortosa designed a new construction. He proposed a solid square-plan fort with four bastions at the corners. Two parallel wings were built separated by a central courtyard that distributes various rooms for the guard corps, kitchen and several storerooms. The castle was armed with four 24-pounder cannons.

In 1789 part of its structure was adapted as a powder magazine, housing up to 1,600 quintals. In 1899 a military pigeon loft was installed here, which operated until 1913. Seven years later a carriage road was built giving access from the main road. Also, at some point, the workshops of the Engineer Command were located in its facilities and dependencies. After the Civil War, in 1944, it was adapted as a military prison.

The Castle of San Joaquín acquires its imposing appearance partly due to its location, on the edge of a spectacular ravine cliff on which it stands.

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