Risco de las Sabinas

Risco de las Sabinas is a protected archaeological zone spanning two neighbouring municipalities on the island of Tenerife — La Matanza de Acentejo and La Victoria de Acentejo. The site covers the wide basin at the mouth of the Barranco de Acentejo (also known as Barranco de San Antonio) together with a stretch of the coastal cliff belonging to La Victoria de Acentejo.

What is Risco de las Sabinas?

It is a rocky escarpment riddled with caves and natural rock cavities that have served, for centuries, as shelters and burial sites. The pre-Hispanic inhabitants of Tenerife, the Guanches, made use of these hollows in the volcanic and limestone rock both as dwellings and as places to bury their dead, making the site one of the more significant testimonies to the island's pre-Hispanic human presence.

Why was it recognised as a cultural asset?

The Government of the Canary Islands formally protected the area through Decree 10/2004 of 3 February 2004, granting it the status of Bien de Interés Cultural (Cultural Heritage Site) under the category of Archaeological Zone. The designation took into account both the historical value of the archaeological findings and the need to safeguard the surrounding landscape — the steep ravine slopes and the adjoining sea cliff.

Where exactly is it located?

The site sits on the administrative boundary between La Matanza de Acentejo and La Victoria de Acentejo, close to where the Barranco de Acentejo reaches the coast. This ravine historically acted as a natural corridor linking the island's interior with the shoreline, which helps explain why the surrounding rock formations were chosen for settlement — proximity to water and to a travel route made them a practical location.

What should you know before visiting?

Risco de las Sabinas is not a conventional tourist attraction with a marked trail or visitor centre — it is, first and foremost, a protected archaeological area whose value lies in the rock formations themselves and their historical significance. Visitors should approach the site with care and respect, as the caves and rock cavities bear witness to ancient settlement and are legally protected as part of the cultural heritage of the Canary Islands.

Frequently asked questions

What does the Bien de Interés Cultural status mean? It is the highest level of heritage protection under Spanish law, granted to sites of exceptional historical, artistic or archaeological value. Risco de las Sabinas holds this status under the Archaeological Zone category.

Who used the caves at this site? The natural rock cavities were used by the pre-Hispanic inhabitants of Tenerife as both dwellings and burial places.

Which municipalities does the site belong to? The area spans two municipalities, La Matanza de Acentejo and La Victoria de Acentejo, including a section of the latter's coastal cliff.

When was it formally protected? Legal protection was established by Decree 10/2004 of 3 February 2004, issued by the Government of the Canary Islands.