Old town of Santa Cruz de Tenerife

The old town of Santa Cruz de Tenerife is the historic core of Tenerife's capital, recognised as a protected cultural property in Spain and built up around a port founded in 1494 by the Castilian conquistador Alonso Fernández de Lugo. Sitting on the trade route between Europe and the Americas, the settlement grew into one of the most important administrative centres of the Canary archipelago.

Where does the city's name come from?

The name Santa Cruz refers to the cross raised by the Spanish conquerors upon their arrival on the island. The relic known as the Santa Cruz de la Conquista (Holy Cross of the Conquest), dating from 1494, still sits at the heart of the altar in the Iglesia de la Concepción — one of the oldest churches in the archipelago, whose construction began as early as 1500. The church took its present form during the 17th and 18th centuries, and its distinctive bell tower, added in 1786, remains the tallest religious structure in the city. It was on this very site that the Spanish conquerors built their first chapel and celebrated the island's first Christian mass.

What role did the city play in Canary Islands history?

Santa Cruz de Tenerife became the capital of the Canary Islands in 1833. A century later, in 1927, a royal decree split that role between Santa Cruz and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria — an administrative arrangement that still stands today, giving the archipelago two shared capitals.

What is worth seeing in the old town?

The heart of the historic quarter is Plaza de España, a spacious square lined with neoclassical architecture, including the former casino and town hall buildings. Beneath the square, fragments of a former castle still survive, a reminder of the fortification that once stood guard over the port against attacks from the sea.

Nearby, it is worth seeking out the Masonic Temple, the Palacio de la Carta, and the Castillo Negro (Black Castle), a coastal fortification. A walk through the old town also passes through a series of atmospheric squares — Plaza del Príncipe, Plaza Weyler, Plaza de San Francisco, and Plaza de la Candelaria — each with its own character, from quiet green corners to grand spaces with fountains and monuments.

Why visit this part of the city?

The old town of Santa Cruz de Tenerife is not a museum piece but a living part of the modern capital, where colonial and neoclassical architecture sits alongside cafés, shops, and everyday city life. It is a place where the history of the conquest of the islands, transatlantic trade, and the archipelago's administrative development remains visible at every turn, from the walls of its churches to the buried foundations of a fortress beneath a modern square.

Frequently asked questions

When was Santa Cruz de Tenerife founded? The city was founded on 3 May 1494.

What relic is kept in the altar of the Iglesia de la Concepción? The Santa Cruz de la Conquista relic from 1494, which gave the city its name.

Is Santa Cruz the sole capital of the Canary Islands? No — since 1927 the capital status has been shared with Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.