Castillo de San Juan

In Santa Cruz de Tenerife you can find the Castle of San Juan Bautista, also known as the Castillo Negro because of the dark tone of its walls and be located in the Caleta de los Negros. The Castillo de San Juan Bautista was built in the first half of the seventeenth century and is one of the few fortifications that can be found in such good condition throughout the island.

The Castillo de San Juan Bautista was the fortress that defended the southern part of the city for some centuries. It is located just after the Tenerife Auditorium and close to the Maritime Park and has a circular tower with an open esplanade and parapets with embrasures with a location for five pieces of artillery. The Castillo facilities are formed by two vaulted rooms below the esplanade that have an approximate surface of 47 meters with thick masonry walls of 1.5 meters thick. The materials used for its construction are volcanic ashlar masonry and was built by Luis Fernández de Córdoba y Arce and rebuilt by Domingo Bernardi Gómez.

The importance of the fortress has made it declared Asset of Cultural Interest and Historical Heritage of Spain.