Tenerife history Puerto de la Cruz.

Tenerife history Puerto de la Cruz the harbor of the cross goes back almost 690000 years. Then, it was formed as part of volcanic landslides.

The town's first inhabitants we know of were the Guanches. They are said to have arrived by sea from the Berber mountains of Africa, about 3000 years ago.

They left traces at King Bencomo's caves at Martianez of Puerto Cruz. The remnants are now at its archeological museum.

Fishermen were among the first settlers after the conquest of the island by Spain in 1496.

That's when the wooden cross the Crucifix was erected. This took place by the harbor called Puerto in Spanish which then belonged to the town of La Orotava.  Such a Crucifix also played a big role in Santa Cruz which read up in the main history of its island.  

Soon, the chants of the fishwife that's depicted above     by the Muelle the dock of Puerto de la Cruz   became a historical icon for her village called Ranilla and her town. She was an important figure. She helped to earn the bread for her many children in the region of the port. Then, after many hours on foot to reach the Orotava elite uphill, she sold seafood to them.

Book about Puerto Cruz history by Carlos Cologan Soriano with ground breaking news

This book of thorough family research by the author reveals also that Malvasia was not the Number 1 export wine that made the town wealthy. Instead, it was a local wine that was less sweet.

40 important, historical photos of Puerto de la Cruz

In fact, King Bencomo of the Guanches spent much time in summer at Taoro Park as well as at a cave above today's Playa Martianez beach

By Guanche hearsay Plaza del Charco was created with landslides of the 1430 eruptions of the volcanic cones Las Arenas, Las Gañanias  and Montaneta del Fraile.

Tenerife history Puerto de la Cruz Punta Brava

Punta Brava Maria Jimenez is one of oldest fishing hamlets of Puerto de la Cruz. Guanches lived there before the European settlers.

This has been reported by the historian José Agustin Alvares Rixo( 1796-1883) who was also more than once Alcalde (Mayor) of the town.

However, the idyllic hamlet the former Maria Jimenez of Puerto de la Cruz as you see it today was only really slowly populated from 1905 onward.

Photo gallery Tenerife history Puerto de la Cruz

Tenerife history Puerto de la Cruz important events

• December 01,1506: El Cabildo of Tenerfie gives the order to La Orotava to build its first harbor Muelle (pier for boats and ships) the timber structure of which needs constant repairs after storms
• 1603, the Church square of Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de Peña Francia by Calle Quintana is built
• 1620, Casa de la Aduana is constructed by the Franchi family
• May 03 of 1603: Puerto de la Cruz received its first mayor
• 1706, Puerto de la Cruz becomes main island port after the volcanic destruction of Garachico
• 1707, La Aduana starts to be Royal Custom's house thanks to the Santa Barbara Battery.
• Until about 1742 the export of Malvasia wine to London and the new World replaces that of sugar
• 1756 O Porto from Portugal beats Tenerife with wine export thanks to the Marques de Pombal
• 1771, The Irish Nicolas Blanco (White)becomes first Mayor of Puerto de la Cruz
• Inaugurations in 1792 of Aclimatization gardens Orotava in La Paz Puerto Cruz.
• 1803 Bernardo Cologan Fallon becomes Alcalde of the town by the harbor
• 1808 The harbor of the cross frees itself politically from La Orotava by taking on the name Puerto de la Cruz.
• 1890, the Spa Hotel Taoro the first in Tenerife and in Spain starts health tourism
• 1880 - 1950 Mass emigration to South America from Puerto de la Cruz due to Economic crisis
• 1950 Mass tourism starts in the oldest Tenerife resort. Emigrants come back
• 1907 -1946 The Yeoward brothers Merchants and shippers lose vessels due to embargoes and torpedoing during WW-1 and WW-2

Puerto's main church Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de Francia has much to thank those Catholic traders who left their country as religious fugitives.

La Ranilla

A picturesque most historic suburb of Puerto Cruz with little of its fisherman community left.

The photo below depicts a Punta Brava Corner cafe in 2014 where a billboard offered 2 Dorada beers for €1.50 a price which deserved to make history. Those days were gone by 2019.

Otherwise, return from Tenerife history Puerto de la Cruz to history of Tenerife.

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