Realejo Bajo a must see and what few know

Realejo Bajo is also called Los Realejos de Abajo. It has the postal Code 38419 and had the first Hacienda after the conquest. Also, it is the oldest village founded by Spain on Tenerife Island. Today, it's one of five main sections of Los Realejos besides Realejo Alto, San Agustin, San Benito and La Carrera and it's the prettiest.

Mind here that San Agustin has been part of Realejos de Abajo a fact that generally seems to be omitted for non Spanish speakers. This has been the case since its foundation until 1955. More about that further down this page.

Indeed, in December 2005,  the entire hamlet of lower Realejos was declared a monument of cultural and historical interest of Tenerife,  the Canary Islands and Spain.

Its uniformity in architecture of the last three centuries helped it to get this title.

Houses that excel are the Parroquia, la Casa de Doña Alfonsina in Calle Marquez and Hotel Rural Bentor with its magnificent rear views over the Barranco Godinez.

Already in 1496, the former prime terrain of lower Realejo  had basic, natural infrastructure at the time of the area's conquest.

The conqueror the Adelantado de Lugo saw it as the most fertile land with best water supply of the island and confiscated it from the last Guanche King Mencey Bencomo.

He also channeled water to the region of today's San Agustin where Calle de Los Siete Fuentes is portrayed above.

Why San Agustin was also Realejo Bajo before

Realejo Alto was once a town on its own like Realejo Bajo also known as Realejos de Abajo until 1955 when Los Realejos the municipality came into being.

Many historic inheritance testaments and deeds of sales prove the problematic fusion of both parts of Los Realejos of Tenerife. ( mInd that one on mainland Spain exists)

They regard Casa de Los Alvelos which became an important Colegio a school in Calle La Alhondiga alias Calle Terrero. This same building a museum to be, once restored, is been a BIC monument of Cultural and historical interest since 2008.

Click the photos to enlarge them...

What is now San Agustin has been documented as Realejos de Abajo until 1952 after the Tenerife ruler Don John Gordejuela founded the Convento San Juan Bautista in XVI.

This convent Convento San Juan Bautista de Agustinos was rebuilt after a fire and was renamed San Andres y de Santa Monica according to Don Bruno Juan Alvarez Abreo a writer of history. This famous, ex-convent with its important documents had been the town hall of Realejo Bajo until destroyed by fire in 1952. This was much lamented by all Canary Islands as well as by the Royal house on mainland Spain.

The first Hacienda of Tenerife

The conqueror's  private estate the first Hacienda on the island which was later know as La Hacienda de los Principes with La Parra Baja and Alta ( of XVII) was quickly surrounded by settlements along steep narrow roads. They are shown in the map above.

In fact, binoculars would let you detect the Monument El Lance. (the jump) It represents the last Guanche King's suicide from this spot by the Barranco Gorge Ruiz

The central antique Realejo Bajo

Lunch with friends of mine in Summer of 2024 by the Dragon trees of Realejo Bajo

Encounter the town's oldest hotel Hotel Rural Bentor on the right side of the picturesque houses, such as that of the church community.

Rural Hotel Bentor  is 70% antique just like its town Realejos Bajo. Its swimming pool by the view-side is fairly new, though. So is its kitchen interior, of course. By the way, it won the Patapa Tapas contest of the entire Realejos municipality in 2017. So much to this hotel's excellent cuisine.

Discover its Facebook page

here

The Hotel's pool terrace is long.

You can click most of the photos to enlarge them.

Little could be salvaged from the ashes of the burned Christian Temple of Iglesia de la Concepcion. Valuable stone masonry survived besides wooden entrance portals and ancient stairs.

The very first stones of the church below were placed in the 16th century already.

Most remarkable are four original portals from way back of the above church.  Some sacred art sculptures and intricate gold and silver craft works were not destroyed by the fire.

Sacred art of the Realejo Bajo church

• Four outstanding Madonna sculptures of different context

• A Madonna de Candelaria figure worshiped as patron of Tenerife
• At least four chapels all of which are in the two side naves with sculptures and outstanding paintings of Saints or Biblical scenes
• Extraordinary painting of Archangel Gabriel who brings       the news of pregnancy to Christ's mother Mary who remained a virgin
• The Virgen de la Concepción whose statue can be lowered from the central altar at the end of the middle nave by an elevator system

• A most beautiful Christ statue called the Lord tied to a column a copy of one of the Matriz church Iglesia Santiago of Realejo Alto with different colored pillar

Below on the right make out the Cemetery of Santa Lucia of the Realejos of Abajo from 1865...

There is also the Aula Nature Hall Rambla de Castro at La Parra Baja.

Sports and holiday home rental by Realejo Bajo

Sports besides festivals and culture are prime attractions of this Realejos region for hikers, walkers, cyclists and  para-gliders. They even play a part in the local carnaval.  SUP and wind surfing besides swimming are tops on this nearby most idyllic beach of Tenerife where again in 2024 a little restaurant offers yummy food.

Not to forget are the Espacio Cultural Tigaray culture and folklore center. It was built by the people and inaugurated on 29th of Sept 2012
Then there is the Public school Colegio San Sebastián with tel: 922 34 00 07 as well as the Instituto de Educación Secundario tel: 922 34 04 00
 

Realejo Bajo and Erase a yearly festival for children from end of March to end of April

Depicted above are a beautiful air-balloon above the church place where a cartoon-like storyteller mannequin sits inside a basket. There's also the festive church square with thousands of balloons and other decorations.

El Realejo Bajo the birth place of De Viera y Clavijo

Indeed, this small town of the very famous historian De Viera y Clavijo has a mind of its own. Only in 1955, it could be added to the municipality of Los Realejos for good. Click the emblem to discover more,  plus its Spain history.

A most peculiar fact about the two parts of Realejo in the first half of century XX

I only have the word of an elderly local I chatted with in San Agustin by the church in 2017 about something that has puzzled me ever since. I've found no proof of that so far.
The elderly Realejero said that during some of the early century XX the side of the road Calle San Agustin with Cafe de La Abuela Mercedes belonged to Realejo Alto which went as far as Hacienda La Gorvorana and Punta Brava while the side with the convent and today's Maritim Hotel below La Longuera was property of Realejo Bajo. All I know is that both parts had not come to terms for more than a century. The fusion of both towns and more villages only happened three years after the terrible fire of the Convento of the Agustine monks then the town hall of the Realejos de Abajo.   

Want to know more about La Hacienda de los Principes the farm of the conqueror?

A must see for a lunch or a walk is the nearby Mirador San Pedro of Rambla de Castro

From Realejo Bajo back to Los Realejos the main town

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