Castle of San Cristóbal

The Castle of San Cristóbal in Santa Cruz de Tenerife was the first fortification of significance on the island of Tenerife and the main defensive building on Santa Cruz Bay. The central Castle Street is named after this fort.

Under the administration of Gov. Álvarez de Fonseca, construction began in 1575 but it was the January 20, 1577 when it entered service. The castle was demolished to construct the Plaza de España, with the remains of the castle buried under it for centuries. On June 28, 2006, during the refurbishment of the Plaza of Spain, some remains were later found to belong to the castle. At that time precautionary and protective measures were taken in order to ensure the preservation of the find.