Bunkers in Tenerife stand as silent reminders of the island’s strategic importance during the whole World War II.
Hidden along the coastlines and mountains, these concrete structures were built by the Germans to protect submarines and defend against potential Allied invasions. Today, they offer a glimpse into Tenerife’s wartime history, blending into modern landscapes while preserving the past.
German and Italian Submarines
Due to its geographical location, the Canary Islands held significant strategic importance during World War II. Situated in the Atlantic Ocean, about 1,000 kilometers from the Spanish coast, the archipelago was an ideal stopover for German and Italian submarines crossing the Atlantic.
In July 1940, the German Foreign Minister, Joachim von Ribbentrop, visited the Canary Islands. He met with the Spanish dictator, Francisco Franco, to negotiate Spain’s potential participation in the war on the side of the Axis powers—Germany, Italy, and Japan. Franco refused to openly join the war but agreed to allow the Canary Islands to be used as a base for German and Italian submarines.
Camouflage
During World War II, the Canary Islands were used by the Germans as a base for their submarines. Bunkers were built to protect the submarines from Allied attacks. These bunkers, still visible today, serve as a reminder of the role the Canary Islands played during the war. They have become popular tourist attractions and are often used for events such as concerts and exhibitions.
The bunkers were made of concrete and equipped with cannons and machine guns. They were constructed in strategic locations along the coastline and in the mountains. The bunkers were well-hidden and difficult for the Allies to reach.
Operation Pilgrim
The bunkers in Tenerife were not only used to protect the submarines but also to defend the Canary Islands from a potential Allied invasion. The bunkers were an important part of the German defense line on the Canary Islands. Around fifty machine gun nests from the 1940s have been preserved along the coastline. They were built when Franco feared a British landing.
In 1941, Spain had reason to fear a British invasion of the Canary Islands. In fact, the United Kingdom, led by Prime Minister Winston Churchill, was planning a military operation to take over the islands, starting with the port and airfield of Gran Canaria, followed by landings on various beaches. It was called Operation Pilgrim.
British Involvement
The United Kingdom was also preparing to militarily occupy the beaches of Tenerife. The bunkers were solid and were built at a rapid pace. They were not real coastal batteries like those seen along the North Sea, but rather machine gun nests. On Tenerife, there are 87 bunkers, about fifty of which are located along the coastline stretching from Santa Cruz to the south.
The British government had carried out secret operations, such as bribing high-ranking officials of the Franco regime, to prevent Spain from joining World War II on the side it sympathized with the most: Germany.
Spain went from being a neutral state after September 1, 1939, when Hitler began hostilities with the invasion of Poland, to a more Nazi-friendly position as a non-combatant country on June 12, 1940, when Italy joined the war with Germany. This was the reason why London set the preparations for the invasion in motion.
Calle El Nido
Franco feared an invasion of Gran Canaria, which would lead to a landing in southern Tenerife. The machine gun nests were mainly placed where landings were expected to occur. They were made of concrete to withstand artillery attacks, and local materials were used to minimize their visibility, both from the ocean and the air.
In Los Cristianos, there is a street named Calle el Nido (The Nest), where a bunker is so well integrated into the urban landscape that it is barely recognizable as a defensive structure. Many bunkers are still visible in Los Cristianos, as well as in areas such as the coastline of Granadilla de Abona, including Montaña Roja in El Médano and San Andrés.
More HISTORY can be read [HERE]
Mapio.net © Photography
Costa Magallanes in Tenerife ©
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