San Miguel Fort

Santa Cruz de Tenerife · Category: Memory · Subcategory: Sites of memory · Year: 1656

The San Miguel fort was located at the mouth of the Tahodio ravine, 200 metres from the Paso Alto castle. It was part of the network of coastal fortifications that defended Santa Cruz, taking an active part in the attacks against the English fleets of Blake in 1657, Jennings in 1706, and Nelson in 1797.

It was built in 1656 over a previous military installation. The new building had the shape of a battlemented tower about 18 metres in diameter, made of masonry. It was ruined by a flood of the ravine in 1761, for which reason a retaining wall was later built, before 1769, to contain the waters of the ravine.

A new fort was rebuilt on this site in 1790 under the project signed by the military engineer Juan Lartigué de Condé. It had an irregular plan with a spacious parade ground armed with six cannons and a mortar. Behind it, various dependencies were erected such as guardhouse, warehouses, kitchen, etc. Access to the new fort was by means of a 6-metre-long ramp cut by a drawbridge.

A great flood of the Tahodio ravine, caused by the 1826 alluvium, again destroyed the building, especially on its northern flank; in 1860 it was rebuilt with casemates.

In 1924 the fort was declared inadequate for the army's needs. In 1927 it was demolished to make way for the construction of the Real Club Náutico de Tenerife.

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