Rioja Printing Press

Santa Cruz de Tenerife · Category: Memory · Subcategory: Sites of memory · Year: 1822

The Provincial Council agreed in 1820 to install a printing press as soon as possible in Santa Cruz, since the city had been left without any such establishment following the death in 1780 of Díaz Romero, the first printer in the Canary Islands.  

The second printing press established in the capital was that of the Cádiz brothers Francisco and José Rioja. By 1822 it was already operating at number 17 Santo Domingo Street.   

Among other works, they published: Llanto de Nivaria a la muerte del Doctor D. Pedro José Bencomo Dean de la Santa Iglesia Catedral de Tenerife y Rector de la Real Universidad de San Fernando de Canarias , by Francisco Campos y López; and also, Últimos acentos de la Lira de Inarco Celenio Poeta Arcade by Leandro Fernández de Moratín, both titles printed in 1828. Additionally, they printed “statements and documents for the offices.”

The brothers separated shortly afterwards and continued their activity separately until shortly after 1841.

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