A day trip to La Laguna, the university town of Tenerife, will surprise you in terms of architecture, tradition, and culture.
San Cristóbal de La Laguna is the second most important city after Santa Cruz, and was the capital of Tenerife until 1723. The municipality spreads over an area of 102 km² and is home to more than 150,000 inhabitants, resulting in 1,414 inhabitants per square kilometre. This is as many as the capital Santa Cruz.
La Laguna is the oldest city on the island, populated two thousand years ago by the arrived Guanches. Back then, there was a lake in the Aguere Valley that was drained to provide a wide habitat. Slowly that habitat grew and in the 15th century it became the capital of Tenerife and also of the Canary Islands, they say.
Old town
When the Conquistadores, headed by Alonso Fernández de Lugo, conquered the island, they plundered the city. Originally, it was the camp location for Fernández de Lugo’s army troops. Soldiers who had participated in the battle settled here and in the various monasteries.
In 1792, the university was founded. Later, during the revival, the area was cleared and the forests gave way to fertile farmland.
Over the years, quite a few inhabitants and thus part of the economy moved to the port area near the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. In the nineteenth century, the captaincy was transferred from La Laguna to Santa Cruz, and during the twentieth century an irreversible urban development began. Numerous suburbs sprang up without ever making any changes to the old city centre.
Architectural works of art
Today’s La Laguna is set in the beautiful landscape of the Aguere valley and is still Tenerife’s cultural and religious capital because it is home to the ‘Universidad de San Fernando’ and the Episcopal Palace. The whole city is full of beautiful and exceptional architectural monuments, palaces and traditional houses from the 17th and 18th centuries.
Among religious buildings, these are the most impressive: the cathedral Nuestra Señora de los Remedios, the Santo Domingo church, the superbe Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Concepción, the Iglesia del Santo Cristo and the chapel ‘Ermita de San Miguel’. You don’t have to be religious to appreciate these architectural works of art.
Something for everyone
The whole city is full of even more monuments, palaces and traditional houses from the 17th and 18th centuries. Those looking for history and art can indulge in the Casa Osuna museum, the Museum of the “Friends of the Economic Community”, the Museum of the Cathedral and the Museum of La Concepción.
La Laguna also has rich agricultural zones, such as Tejina and Valle Guerra. Tourist resorts such as Bajamar and Punta del Hidalgo offer first-class hotels, natural swimming pools and beautiful scenery. The two industrial zones of La Cuesta and Taco also belong to the municipality.
Strolling around is quite an experience
Close to the university is the Los Rodeos airport. This airport was the site of the 1977 Tenerife air disaster in which two planes collided, killing over 500 people. On 27 March 2007, the International Tenerife Memorial was unveiled on the Mesa Mota. This 18-metre-high monument in the form of a spiral staircase, called Stairway to Heaven, was created by Dutch artist Ruud van de Wint.
Shopping in San Cristóbal de La Laguna is a unique feature, strolling around is quite an experience. Typical mansions with wooden balconies and large windows, bars and terraces that integrate into the streetscape, traditional shops that give the old town a feel are things to experience. Not to mention the numerous street entertainments that add to the traditional values.
In 1999, the city was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
More day trips are listed under Excursions.
Unknown © Photography
A day trip to La Laguna ©
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