Garachico is a

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...

and town on the northern coast of

Tenerife Tenerife (; ; formerly spelled ''Teneriffe'') is the largest and most populous island of the Canary Islands. It is home to 43% of the total population of the archipelago. With a land area of and a population of 978,100 inhabitants as of Janu ...

, about 52 km West of the capital

Santa Cruz de Tenerife Santa Cruz de Tenerife, commonly abbreviated as Santa Cruz (), is a city, the capital of the island of Tenerife, Province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, and capital of the Canary Islands. Santa Cruz has a population of 206,593 (2013) within its admi ...

, 50 km from

Tenerife North Airport Tenerife (; ; formerly spelled ''Teneriffe'') is the largest and most populous island of the Canary Islands. It is home to 43% of the total population of the archipelago. With a land area of and a population of 978,100 inhabitants as of Janu ...

and 67 km from

Tenerife South Airport Tenerife South Airport ( es, Aeropuerto de Tenerife Sur) , also known as Tenerife South–Reina Sofía Airport, is the larger of the two international airports located on the island of Tenerife (the other being Tenerife North Airport) and t ...

. The town itself nestles below a 500m+ (1500 ft) cliff. The city of Garachico with its port was founded by the Genoan banker

Cristóbal de Ponte Cristóbal or Cristobal, the Spanish version of Christopher, is a masculine given name and a surname which may refer to: Given name *Cristóbal Balenciaga (1895–1972), Spanish fashion designer *Cristóbal Cobo (born 1976), Chilean academic *Cr ...

after the conquest of Tenerife in 1496. The May 5, 1706

eruption Several types of volcanic eruptions—during which lava, tephra (ash, lapilli, volcanic bombs and volcanic blocks), and assorted gases are expelled from a volcanic vent or fissure—have been distinguished by volcanologists. These are often ...

originating from the northwest

rift zone A rift zone is a feature of some volcanoes, especially shield volcanoes, in which a set of linear cracks (or rifts) develops in a volcanic edifice, typically forming into two or three well-defined regions along the flanks of the vent. Believed t ...

was a major event in the town's history. Prior to then, Garachico was an important port exporting Malmsey Wine and other local produce. However, a several-week-long eruption poured lava into the old bay and effectively destroyed the town's livelihood. The town itself was partially destroyed. (Contrary to the 'Tourist trade' myth, which will tell you that the town was completely destroyed, except for the church where the townfolk took refuge.) Garachico has always taken care of its environment and protected the most diverse cultural manifestations. For all these reasons, the Spanish government awarded the town the Gold Medal of Fine Arts, which was presented in 1980 by His Majesty the Kin

Pictures

Gara11.jpg, "piscinas" Gara15.jpg, old buildings Gara19.jpg, tiny street Gara24.jpg, small park Vista de Garachico, Tenerife, España, 2012-12-13, DD 05.jpg, view Tenerife-Guarchico-3.JPG, old buildings Tenerife-Garachico-2.JPG, view Tenerife-Garachico-1.jpg, street Garachico (20).jpg, Church of Santa Ana Art in Garachico.jpg, Art installation

Pictures

References

See also