Galcerán Bridge

Santa Cruz de Tenerife · Category: Architecture · Subcategory: Squares, streets & markets · Year: 1926-1929

The need to cross the Santos ravine at the intermediate height between the El Cabo bridge and the Zurita bridge was urgent for the City Council from the mid-19th century. Galcerán Street, formerly known as Maestranza, ended at the edge of the ravine, as did the parallel Alfaro Street below, and Iriarte above. Precisely between these streets the Corporation debated which would be the best option when extending them by means of a bridge that would cross the ravine and open the city to the other side. Finally, given its width and being the continuation of Avenida 25 de Julio, Méndez Núñez and even the Plaza de Weyler itself, they chose Galcerán to build the bridge.

In 1901 the engineer Prudencio Guadalfajara drafted a bridge project for the area, but it was not until twenty-five years later that the work began to become a reality due to the need to connect the city centre with the new oil refinery planned to be located on the outskirts of the city. 

Construction works for the Galcerán bridge began in 1926 and were completed three years later, in 1929. From that moment Santa Cruz had a route over the Santos ravine that opened up future urban expansion areas. Such was the case of the populous La Salle neighbourhood and its surroundings.

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