Casco de Garachico

Municipality: Garachico

History

Pieces of land were partitioned between assistants in the conquest. This zone suffers the distribution of lands and waters at the beginning of the 16th century. A rich Genoveses colony was established (Genoveses are people who live in Genovés, a municipality from Valency), apart from Castilians, Andalusians, Extremaduran, etc.

The zone was developed across the agriculture, such as cereal, wheat and vineyards. the plantations were deistributed among the municipality. The natural port was important for this development which serverd as a principal door to the traffic of trade with Europe, America and Africa. During the XVI and XVII century many products were exported, the most important was the wine, called Malvasía (a type of white wine, and in many cases red wine)

Garachico´s Port

But this economic growth was deteriorated with the years. Some of the causes were the alluvium of 1645, fires and epidemics. Nevertheless the worst cause was the volcanic eruption in 1706, due to El Volcán Trevejo o Arenas Negras (both are volcanos). As a result the port was destroyed and it was gained some meters to the sea. After this event the population was dedicated to the agriculture and fishing, so some population emigrated to different zones of America. However, there have been years of economic growth and some population have returned.

We are meeting one of the hulks best preserved on the island. Enjoying the Canary architecture, and a town which has grown around La Iglesia de Santa Ana (Santa Ana´s Church). Thanks to this conservation, the old town has gained different, as La Medalla de Oro al Mérito en las Bellas Artes (The Golden medal for Merit in the Fine arts) and in 1980 it was declared Bien de Interés Conjunto Artístico (the law preserves a city which has been historically important) in 1994. 

Representative Buildings

Although there are many properties in this area, we only mention some of them.

Puerta de Tierra: it was built in the 16th century and the goods were entered and exited from this door. It is at sea level, therefore  it is significant as the town grew after the eruption, gaining meters sea. It is a place  where there are a Lagar (an instrument to make wine) and some sculptures. 

Puerta de Tierra

Monumento del Vino: (wine monument), it is a sculpture realized in marble located in the entry to the villa. It is a memorial that represents the fight against the laws imposed by the English merchants. It happened in the XVIII century and the farmers spilled the wine in protest.

Memorial

Ermita San Roque: (San Roque´s hermitage), it is a construction realized by neighbors at the beginning of the 17th century, due to the plague that was extended in the zone. It has suffered some reforms, one of them in 1812 where the ship was extended.

Ex-convento San Francisco: (San Francisco former convent) it started in 1524. It is a double plant building, with two cloisters which were constructed with tea wood (tea is a type of wood belonging to Pinus Canariensis). The library is located in that building.

La casa del Marqués de la Quinta Roja: (Marques de la Quinta Roja´s Hause) it was built at the ends of the 16th century, being rebuilt in the 17th century. It is one of the buildings that was not devastated by the eruption, but a fire destroyed part of the same. Nowadays it is a hotel.

Casa del Marqués de la Quinta Roja

Castillo San Miguel:  (San Miguel´s castle) it is a protected monument from 22nd of April 1949. Its was constructed as a fort due to the fact that it was necessary to safeguard the port. Its construction began in 1575, however it was slowly due to the lack of manpower. It also is one of the building that was not destroyed by the eruption. It is possible to visit its interior, as it is a museum.

Castillo San Miguel

Molino de Agua: (water mill) it is the only vestige of a group of mills that were in the zone and disappeared along the 19th century. Near here there were an hermitage and the rest of  the mills that were devastated by the eruption 1706. Nowadays it is possible to visit the interior due to the fact that is a museum where it is possible to see its functioning. 

Molino de Agua

Parroquia de Santa Ana: (Santa Ana´s church) it was constructed in 1520, having to be reformed after the eruption in 1706. Nowadays the foundations and the exterior walls are the original.

Parroquia de Santa Ana

Convento Concepcionista Franciscano: (Concepcionista Franciscano convent) it was the second feminine convent of Garachico. Noawadays this convent and one in La Laguna are the only in functioning. It was constructed in 1590, having suffered several reforms. From the exterior it is possible to see El Ajimez ( it is a wood  window with decoration. This kind of architecture is from Arab countries, which were made during the Middle Ages in the south of Spain. It appeared on the island due to colonial)  

Convento Concepcionista

The buildings were constructed with material of the zone, like rocks, clay, etc. The Canary houses are comprised of several artistic styles, but the building had to adapt to the climate, orography and to the constructive materials that they were arranging in the island. For that reason, we find different houses as we are in urban or rural zones. Having the first more adornments like late elements of the Baroque and the Renaissance, and Mudejar elements (we mentioned before Ajimez, which is made in that style). It also is found in civil and religious buildings. The second constructions, are houses according to the need of the moment, rooms being extended if it was necessary.

Though we have not mentioned all the building, it is necessary to say that it is a  great geographical enclave, where it is possible to walk almost to the same level of the sea. Not all the buildings are visited but seeing the fronts and the streets we know the history of the place. In the zone there are natural swimming pools, a new port, etc.

Hillside