Lo de Ramos

Lo de Ramos is the ruin of a former Augustinian farmstead (alquería) set on the slopes of the Güímar valley, at roughly 650 metres above sea level, less than 1.2 km from the centre of Arafo on Tenerife. The site is also known as "Fraile Ramos" or "Lagar del Clérigo" and was formally declared a Cultural Heritage Asset under the category of Historic Site by Decree 237/2008 of 9 December, issued by the Government of the Canary Islands.

Where does the name come from and who lived here?

The story goes back to 1509, when the Augustinian convent of the Holy Spirit in La Laguna was granted land and water rights in the Arafo area. The friars built a farmstead here that included a chapel (oratory), a wine cellar, a dwelling, a water reservoir and bread ovens. It was the Augustinians who first introduced vine cultivation to Arafo, laying the foundations of the region's winemaking tradition. They also kept livestock and planted fruit trees, gradually turning the surrounding land into farmland.

What did the farmstead look like?

The alquería had a rectangular layout that brought together a chapel, living quarters, a wine cellar and a stable, arranged around a corridor supported by wooden columns. This layout was typical of religious-order farmsteads in the Canary Islands at the time, combining religious, residential and productive functions within a single compound.

Why is it a ruin today?

Following the Spanish disentailment (the confiscation of church property), the estate passed into the hands of Domingo García Torres. His political enemies set the building on fire, and it has remained in ruins ever since. Interestingly, the eruption of the Las Arenas volcano did not directly reach the buildings — the lava flow split just before it arrived, sparing the estate from the natural disaster, though it had already been destroyed by fire at human hands.

What can visitors see at the site today?

What remains today are the ruins of the farmstead building, the water reservoir and the ovens. Together they bear witness to the Augustinians' presence in the region and to how farming reshaped the landscape of Arafo — from the first vineyards to fruit orchards and the livestock the friars raised.

Frequently asked questions

What is Lo de Ramos? It is the ruin of a former Augustinian farmstead (alquería) with a chapel, wine cellar, water reservoir and ovens, located on the slopes of the Güímar valley in the municipality of Arafo.

What other names does the site go by? It is also known as "Fraile Ramos" and "Lagar del Clérigo".

Is the site protected? Yes, it was declared a Cultural Heritage Asset under the category of Historic Site by Decree 237/2008 of 9 December, issued by the Government of the Canary Islands.

Why is the farmstead in ruins today? After church property was confiscated, the new owner, Domingo García Torres, clashed with political enemies who set the building on fire.

Did a volcanic eruption destroy the site? No — lava from the Las Arenas volcano split just before reaching the building and bypassed it, although the estate had already burned down earlier due to arson.