El Cabo Bridge

Santa Cruz de Tenerife · Category: Architecture · Subcategory: Squares, streets & markets

A few metres from the Church of the Conception runs the final stretch of the Santos ravine. There, from the earliest times, a wooden bridge was built, the first the population had to facilitate transit towards the El Cabo neighbourhood and the San Sebastián road, the only access to the interior of the island. It was the only crossing in Santa Cruz that spanned the ravine until the construction of the Zurita Bridge in 1754.

This first El Cabo bridge had to be replaced on numerous occasions after being destroyed by the periodic floods of the ravine. Initially, it was barely a pedestrian footbridge. The passage of heavy loads in carts or wagons was done by fording the ravine bed at the place known as the Camino de las Carretas (Cart Road).

Already in the 19th century, in 1826, a work of three pillars of stone and lime was carried out, reinforced at the corners with ashlar, all linked by large pine trunks transported from the Vilaflor area. Slightly later, in 1881, the municipal architect Manuel de Cámara considered it appropriate to give the bridge greater span and rise to facilitate the passage of waters during floods and avoid frequent overflows. He presented a solution in which the bridge's level was raised above the streets at the ends, requiring the construction of access ramps, a solution that was not liked by the Town Hall, and the controversy extended to public opinion. A great uproar ensued, resulting in the architect's resignation.

In 1893 a new bridge was installed, this time of iron, commissioned from a foundry in Barcelona. This bridge existed until a few years ago, but throughout its existence it also did not resolve occasional overflows when it rained torrentially, given its low height and the narrowing of the ravine bed at this point. It has recently been replaced by a new structure of modern design.

Until the early 20th century, crossing the ravine by this bridge was the only road route that allowed direct communication with the Civil Hospital, the neighbourhoods of El Cabo, Los Llanos, Regla, Lazareto, the San Rafael and San Roque cemetery, and the entire southern area of the town.

Downstream of the bridge, before modern roads and port facilities disfigured the coastline, the area known as Charco de la Casona was formed at high tides, a place for games and bathing.

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