Tunnels and Warehouse of the Montaña de la Altura de Paso Alto

Santa Cruz de Tenerife · Category: Architecture · Subcategory: Military architecture · Year: 1949

The Montaña de La Altura de Paso Alto has always had a defensive and sheltering character as it is an impregnable natural wall that protects the city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife on its northern flank from any invasion, as was well demonstrated with Nelson's failed attempt at the end of the 18th century.

This impressive cliff, which is part of the Anaga massif, has within it a little-known defensive complex, today used as a warehouse by the Port Authority. It is a network of tunnels and chambers connected by a dense network of galleries and passageways almost 200 metres long, accessed through mine entrances located at the back of the Colegio Miguel Pintor.

The origin of this underground military complex dates back to May 1943 when, in the midst of the Second World War and with the Archipelago in the sights of the belligerents, the naval force of the Canaries requested from the Junta de Obras del Puerto, owner of the mountain which in the previous century had functioned as a quarry for the construction of the dock, the transfer of these lands with the idea of building a naval control station here.

The project included the construction of three underground tunnels giving access to warehouses designed to be used as fuel depots with a capacity for 8,000 tonnes of diesel. This installation would be completed by a Marine Infantry barracks and the conditioning of the North Dock for the mooring of ships and submarines.

Of all this, only the tunnels and chambers were completed in 1949, after the international conflict had ended, with their vents rising and emerging into the light at the top of the mountain slope.

In 1964 this entire complex was declared unsuitable for defence, being returned to the entity responsible for the port of Santa Cruz which since then has used it as a warehouse, first for hazardous substances such as explosives and later for various objects of all kinds, including cars from the time when the facility was built.

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