Castle of San Juan

Santa Cruz de Tenerife · Category: Architecture · Subcategory: Military architecture · Year: 1765 · Authors: Alejandro de los Ángeles

The initiative to build a fortress in this area was the determination of the Island Council, with the intention of defending the southern flank of the town. In 1641, the construction of a defensive building was agreed upon in what was known as Caleta de Negros, an area of wide beaches that were completely unprotected. By 1643, the work seems to have been completed. It was a circular tower building constructed in ashlar masonry, with attached quarters for the troops, officers, and gunpowder store.

It remained so until 1765, when the military engineer Alejandro de los Ángeles designed the complex as we see it today. Its circular plan structure with an elevation of basaltic ashlar masonry from its foundations is surrounded by a moat fed by seawater, with a drawbridge for access. It was armed with five cannons and a mortar and had a garrison of 13 men including officers, although in wartime its capacity could increase to a hundred.

The Castle of San Juan was, along with Paso Alto and the now disappeared San Cristóbal, a valuable bulwark in the defence of Santa Cruz against attacks and invasions by fleets that sought to assault the city.

Popularly known as the Black Castle (perhaps because of the exterior appearance of the basalt stone with which it was built), it is one of the best examples of the defensive fortifications that Santa Cruz had.

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