Santa Cruz de Tenerife, commonly abbreviated as Santa Cruz (), is a city, the capital of the island 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, archipelago. With a land area of and a population of 978,100 inhabitant ...

, Province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, and capital of the

Canary Islands The Canary Islands (; es, Canarias, ), also known informally as the Canaries, are a Spanish autonomous community and archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, in Macaronesia. At their closest point to the African mainland, they are west of Mo ...

. Santa Cruz has a population of 206,593 (2013) within its administrative limits.Instituto Canario de Estadística
, population The

urban zone An urban area, built-up area or urban agglomeration is a human settlement with a high population density and infrastructure of built environment. Urban areas are created through urbanization and are categorized by urban morphology as cities, t ...

of Santa Cruz extends beyond the city limits with a population of 507,306 and 538,000 within urban area. It is the second largest city in the Canary Islands and the main city on the island of

, with nearly half of the island's population living in or around it. Santa Cruz is located in the northeast quadrant of Tenerife, off the north-western coast of Africa within the Atlantic Ocean. The distance to the nearest point of mainland Spain is . Between the

1833 territorial division of Spain The 1833 territorial division of Spain divided the country into provinces, in turn classified into "historic regions" ( es, link=no, regiones históricas).''Real Decreto de 30 de noviembre de 1833''
on wikisource''Real Decreto de 30 de noviembre de 1833''
at the official website of the Canary Islands Government The port is of great importance and is the communications hub between Europe, Africa and Americas, with cruise ships arriving from many nations. The city is the focus for domestic and inter-island communications in the Canary Islands. The city is home to the Parliament of the Canary Islands, the Audience of Accounts of the Canary Islands, the Captaincy General of the Canary Islands, the Canarias Ministry of the Presidency (shared on a four-year cycle with

Las Palmas Las Palmas (, ; ), officially Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, is a Spain, Spanish city and capital of Gran Canaria, in the Canary Islands, on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital (jointly with Santa Cruz de Tenerife), the most populous city in th ...

), one half of the Ministries and Boards of the Canarias Government, (the other half being located in Gran Canaria), the Tenerife Provincial Courts and two courts of the Superior Court of Justice of the Canary Islands. There are several faculties of the

La Laguna University The University of La Laguna (ULL; Spanish: ''Universidad de La Laguna'') is a public research university situated in San Cristóbal de La Laguna, on the island of Tenerife, Spain. It is the oldest university in the Canary Islands. The university ...

in Santa Cruz, including the Fine Arts School and the Naval Sciences Faculty. Its harbour is one of Spain's busiest. It is important for commercial and passenger traffic as well as for being a major stopover for cruisers en route from Europe to the Caribbean. The city also has one of the world's largest

carnival Carnival is a Catholic Christian festive season that occurs before the liturgical season of Lent. The main events typically occur during February or early March, during the period historically known as Shrovetide (or Pre-Lent). Carnival ...

s. The Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife now aspires to become a

World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...

, and is the second largest in the world.
/ref> The varied architecture of the city stands out, highlighting the

Auditorio de Tenerife The Auditorio de Tenerife "Adán Martín" (commonly referred to as the Auditorio de Tenerife) is an auditorium in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain. Designed by architect Santiago Calatrava, it is located on the Avenue of the Constit ...

(''Auditorium of Tenerife''), which is considered one of the greatest exponents of contemporary architecture. In the panoramic view of the city, the Torres de Santa Cruz (''Santa Cruz Towers'') also stand out, which with 120 meters tallest twin towers in Spain. Other outstanding places are the Plaza de España (''Spain Square''), which is the nerve center of the city, and the Parque García Sanabria (''García Sanabria Park''), a large urban park located in the center of the city. Outside the city but in its municipal district,

Playa de Las Teresitas The Playa de Las Teresitas is an artificial, white sand, tourist beach located north of the village of San Andrés, Santa Cruz de Tenerife in Tenerife, Spain. Original beach Originally the area of the beach consisted mostly of stone and rocks, ...

(''Las Teresitas'') and a large part of the

Macizo de Anaga Macizo de Anaga is a mountain range in the northeastern part of the island of Tenerife in the Canary Islands. The highest point is 1,024 m (Cruz de Taborno). It stretches from the Punta de Anaga in the northeast to Cruz del Carmen in the sout ...

(''Anaga Massif'') stand out, declared a

Biosphere Reserve A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, or features of geological or o ...

by UNESCO in 2015. Santa Cruz de Tenerife hosts the first headquarters of the Center

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. I ...

in the Canary Islands. In recent years the city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife has seen the construction of a significant number of modern structures and the city's

skyline A skyline is the outline or shape viewed near the horizon. It can be created by a city’s overall structure, or by human intervention in a rural setting, or in nature that is formed where the sky meets buildings or the land. City skyline ...

is the sixth in height across the country, behind

Madrid Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), an ...

Benidorm Benidorm is a town and municipality in the province of Alicante, Valencia, on the Mediterranean coast of Spain. Benidorm has been a tourist destination within Spain since 1925, when its port was extended and the first hotels were built, though ...

Barcelona Barcelona ( , , ) is a city on the coast of northeastern Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within ...

Valencia Valencia ( va, València) is the capital of the autonomous community of Valencia and the third-most populated municipality in Spain, with 791,413 inhabitants. It is also the capital of the province of the same name. The wider urban area al ...

and

Bilbao ) , motto = , image_map = , mapsize = 275 px , map_caption = Interactive map outlining Bilbao , pushpin_map = Spain Basque Country#Spain#Europe , pushpin_map_caption ...

. In 2012, the British newspaper ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper A newspaper is a periodical publication containing written information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide ...

'' included Santa Cruz de Tenerife in the list of the five best places in the world to live, next to the Cihangir district, in

Istanbul Istanbul ( , ; tr, İstanbul ), formerly known as Constantinople ( grc-gre, Κωνσταντινούπολις; la, Constantinopolis), is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, serving as the country's economic, ...

; the district of Sankt Pauli, in

Hamburg Hamburg (, ; nds, label=Hamburg German, Low Saxon, Hamborg ), officially the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg (german: Freie und Hansestadt Hamburg; nds, label=Low Saxon, Friee un Hansestadt Hamborg),. is the List of cities in Germany by popul ...

, the north coast of Maui, in

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only ...

and

Portland Portland most commonly refers to: * Portland, Oregon, the largest city in the state of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States * Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state of Maine, in the New England region of the northeas ...

, in the state of

Oregon Oregon () is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of its eastern boundary with Idah ...

(

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., federal district, five ma ...

). The 82% of the municipal territory of Santa Cruz de Tenerife is considered a natural area, this is due in large part to the presence of the Anaga Rural Park. This fact makes Santa Cruz the third largest municipality in Spain with the highest percentage of natural territory, after Cuenca (87%) and Cáceres (83%).Anaga convierte a Santa Cruz en la tercera gran ciudad de España con más suelo natural
/ref> The city has a status of global city (in Sufficiency category).

Etymology

The area where Santa Cruz currently lies belonged to Menceyato Guanche Anaga, which was the most easterly of the island. The city that is now Santa Cruz had a few names throughout its history: Añazo or Añaza ( Guanche name), Puerto de Santiago Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Santa Cruz de Santiago de Tenerife, and Santa Cruz de Tenerife (current), which means: "holy

cross A cross is a geometrical figure consisting of two intersecting lines or bars, usually perpendicular to each other. The lines usually run vertically and horizontally. A cross of oblique lines, in the shape of the Latin letter X, is termed a s ...

of Tenerife," in memory of the foundation of the city, when a Christian cross was planted in the place that is now the center of town.

History

Plaza de España (Santa Cruz de Tenerife)

Castillo de San Juan Bautista-Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Guanche period, conquest and Castilian colonization

The area on which now stands the city and the municipality of Santa Cruz de Tenerife has been the subject of human occupation since the time of the Guanches, approximately 2000 years ago, as attested by the archaeological sites found. The area was known to the

Guanches The Guanches were the indigenous inhabitants of the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean some west of Africa. It is believed that they may have arrived on the archipelago some time in the first millennium BCE. The Guanches were the only nativ ...

, the first inhabitants of the island, as ''Añazo'' or ''Añaza''. The famous Mummy of San Andrés is one of the most important archaeological remains of the aboriginal past of the region. Besides caves with some remains of mummified animals and stones with engravings ruprestres. This area belonged to the Menceyato de Anaga (aboriginal Guanche kingdom of Anaga), one of nine in which the island was divided. On 3 May 1494 Castilian troops under the control of the conqueror

Alonso Fernández de Lugo Alonso Fernández de Lugo (; died 1525) was a Spanish military man, conquistador, city founder, and administrator. He conquered the islands of La Palma (1492–1493) and Tenerife (1494–1496) for the Castilian Crown; they were the last of the C ...

disembarked on the beaches of the present city and founded a military camp that would eventually develop into the city. From this place began the conquest of the island of Tenerife. During the foundation, Alonso Fernández de Lugo placed a large wooden cross in reference to the day of disembarkation, during the

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwide . It is am ...

festivity of the

Invention of the Cross In the Christian liturgical calendar, there are several different Feasts of the Cross, all of which commemorate the cross used in the crucifixion of Jesus. Unlike Good Friday, which is dedicated to the passion of Christ and the crucifixion, these ...

(3 May). After the conquest and defeat of the Guanche aborigines, the capital of the island was initially established in the city of

San Cristóbal de La Laguna San Cristóbal de La Laguna (commonly known as La Laguna, ) is a city and municipality in the northern part of the island of Tenerife in the Province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, on the Canary Islands, Spain. The city is the third-most populous ...

, which was founded in the same year of the conquest of the island in 1496.

Old Regime and Modern Stage

Later, it became one of the most important ports of the Atlantic, a status it retains to this day. This former fishermen's village rose to prominence after a Volcano destroyed the port of Garachico in the 18th century. Santa Cruz became the major port on the Island. It first won its independence from La Laguna and, in the 19th century, was awarded the status of Capital of the

Province of Canary Islands The Province of Canary Islands (in Spanish: ''Provincia de Canarias'') is the name of the former province formed by the Canary Islands. This province had its capital in the city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. After the provincial division in 1927 thi ...

by King Ferdinand VII. Between 1833 and 1927 Santa Cruz de Tenerife was the sole capital of the Canary Islands. In 1927 a Royal

decree A decree is a legal proclamation, usually issued by a head of state (such as the president of a republic or a monarch), according to certain procedures (usually established in a constitution). It has the force of law. The particular term used f ...

ordered that the status of capital city of the Canary Islands would be shared with Las Palmas in Gran Canaria. This arrangement remains in place today. In 1893 an outbreak of cholera- morbid spread throughout the city and neighboring municipalities. The disease was brought by an Italian ship returning from

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

. There were 382 dead. Between 1936 and 1939, during the

Spanish Civil War The Spanish Civil War ( es, Guerra Civil Española)) or The Revolution ( es, La Revolución, link=no) among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War ( es, Cuarta Guerra Carlista, link=no) among Carlism, Carlists, and The Rebellion ( es, La Rebeli ...

, the Canary Islands were in the rear of General

Francisco Franco Francisco Franco Bahamonde (; 4 December 1892 – 20 November 1975) was a Spanish general who led the Nationalist forces in overthrowing the Second Spanish Republic during the Spanish Civil War and thereafter ruled over Spain from 19 ...

's side. In this context, in 1936 the republican mayor of Santa Cruz de Tenerife was arrested and murdered

José Carlos Schwartz Hernández José is a predominantly Spanish and Portuguese form of the given name Joseph. While spelled alike, this name is pronounced differently in each language: Spanish ; Portuguese (or ). In French, the name ''José'', pronounced , is an old vernacul ...

. After the war, years of great economic difficulties followed. From 1978, with the new Spanish Constitution and the Statute of Autonomy of the Canary Islands, a new stage began, always with democratically elected mayors. In the 80s and 90s of the 20th century, the city experiences a great economic boom. The expansion of the city towards the south begins gaining ground to the Santa Cruz de Tenerife Refinery and creating new residential and urbanizable areas such as Cabo-Llanos. Since then, this area of the city is immersed in a major construction boom that has been nicknamed " Manhattanization", due to the presence of tall buildings and the layout of the streets that mimics that of American cities.

Current era: 21st century

Santa Cruz inaugurated the 21st century with a great expansionary and commercial boom that is especially manifested in architecture with the construction of emblematic buildings such as the

, the work of

Santiago Calatrava Santiago Calatrava Valls (born 28 July 1951) is a Spanish architect, structural engineer, sculptor and painter, particularly known for his bridges supported by single leaning pylons, and his railway stations, stadiums, and museums, whose scul ...

or the remodeling of the Plaza de España according to the design of Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron. A torrential flood took place on 31st March 2002. This was caused by a phenomenon of cold drop characterized by the repeated fall of torrential rain accompanied by lightning, which affected the metropolitan area of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The flooding caused 8 dead, 12 missing and dozens injured. In recent years, it has become clear that there exists a ''de facto'' union with neighbouring city

(141,627 inhabitants as in 2005 census) due to the rapid population growth and reduction in undeveloped space between the cities, as their suburbs merged, forming a metropolitan area with 420,198 inhabitants (including the nearby municipalities of Tegueste, Candelaria and El Rosario). Regarding this situation, the mayor of Santa Cruz,

Miguel Zerolo Aguilar Miguel Zerolo Aguilar (born February 26, 1957, Santa Cruz de Tenerife) is a Canarian politician. He became a member of Unión de Centro Democrático (UCD - Central Democratic Union) in 1979, and subsequently transferred to Agrupación Tinerfeña d ...

and his La Laguna counterpart, Ana María Oramas Moro, both belonging to the

Canarian Coalition The Canarian Coalition ( es, Coalición Canaria, CC) is a regionalist, Canarian nationalist political party in Spain operating in the Canary Islands. The party's aim is for greater autonomy for the islands but not independence. It has been labele ...

, stated several times to local media that they shared a willingness to proceed to a full political union between their municipalities, even though the decision was postponed to a date after the local elections in 2007. As of 2012 the merger is no longer part of the political agenda. The financial crisis of 2008 would paralyze the development of the city for more than a decade. In June 2018, the dismantling of the Santa Cruz de Tenerife Refinery was announced, which will allow the expansion of the city to the south.

Administrative divisions

Santa Cruz is divided administratively into five districts, which in turn are subdivided into districts, not necessarily consistent with the traditional neighborhoods.

Demographics

In 1990, the population peaked above the 200,000 mark. Santa Cruz de Tenerife and the city of

form a continuous urban area, with a combined population of over 380,000 inhabitants. Santa Cruz-La Laguna Ethnically, the population is mainly of European origin, primarily from the Iberian Península, both Spain and Portugal, with some mix of the island's original inhabitants, the

. There has been some Latin American immigration (especially from Cuba and Venezuela) as well as from both Northern and Sub-Sahara Africa. There are also important historical minorities such as Indians ( Sindhi), Koreans (see

Koreans in Spain Koreans in Spain form one of the country's smaller Asian populations. Demography and distribution 2006 statistics from Spain's Instituto Nacional de Estadística showed 2,873 registered residents of Spain born in South Korea, of whom 514 held S ...

) and, more recently,

Russians , native_name_lang = ru , image = , caption = , population = , popplace = 118 million Russians in the Russian Federation (2002 ''Winkler Prins'' estimate) , region1 = , pop1 ...

. The majority of the population professes the

religion, but there are also small communities of Hindus and Muslims. In Santa Cruz de Tenerife, crime has decreased in recent years and the city has gained a reputation for tolerance among its inhabitants. In fact, Santa Cruz de Tenerife was the first city of the Canary Islands to display the rainbow flag alongside the flag of the City Council, in June 2008. In comparison with the nearby city of

, which is the seat of Bishopric of Tenerife, traditionally the city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife has had a much more secular character. This fact brought about in the city institutions of deep secular tradition such as the

Masonic Temple of Santa Cruz de Tenerife Historic Masonic Temple of Santa Cruz de Tenerife is a Masonic Temple located in the city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain), on Calle San Lucas. The building was constructed for use by the Añaza Lodge between 1899 and 1902. It is ...

that was one of the largest masonic centers in Spain. According to a study by the National Statistics Institute of Spain (INE), among the two Canarian capitals, Santa Cruz de Tenerife is the one with the highest life expectancy at 81 years. Just behind Santa Cruz is

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Las Palmas (, ; ), officially Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, is a Spanish city and capital of Gran Canaria, in the Canary Islands, on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital (jointly with Santa Cruz de Tenerife), the most populous city in the au ...

, with 80.9 years. Vista de Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Largest groups of foreign born people in 2018 :

Metropolitan area

The Santa Cruz de Tenerife-La Laguna Metropolitan Area forms the second largest city and metropolitan area of the

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been ...

outside Europe. According to data provided by the Canary Islands Government and

Cabildo de Tenerife Cabildo Insular de Tenerife (Island Council of Tenerife) is the governing body of the island of Tenerife (Canary Islands). It was established on 16 March 1913 in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, in a session held by the City Council. It was, at that time ...

the metropolitan area of Santa Cruz de Tenerife is composed of the municipalities of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, San Cristobal de La Laguna,

El Rosario ''El rosario'' is a 1944 Mexican romantic drama film directed by Juan José Ortega. The film is based on a novel by Florence L. Barclay. It stars Andrea Palma Andrea Palma (b. Trapani, 1644 or 1664 – d. 1730) was an 18th-century Italian arc ...

and Tegueste with a population of 404,913 inhabitants in 2008, 322.13 km², and a population density of 1,156.33 inhabitants/km². According to AUDES5 this conurbation also comprises the municipalities of Tacoronte and

El Sauzal El Sauzal is a town and a municipality in the northeastern part of the island of Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain. It is located on the north coast, 12 km west of San Cristóbal de La Laguna, 13 km northeast of La Orotava and 18 km ...

, bringing the total population of the urban population would reach 581.947 (2008). The cities of Santa Cruz and San Cristobal de La Laguna and urban are physically linked, so that together have a population of over 382,331 inhabitants, making them the largest urban area in the Canaries (independent of municipal lines).

Infrastructure

As the centre of the Tenerife Metropolitan Area, Santa Cruz is the hub for the island's motorway network. The 85 km. long

Autopista TF-1 The TF-1 (or ''Autopista del Sur'', "Southern Motorway") is a motorway encircling the eastern and the southern parts of the island of Tenerife ( Canary Islands). The TF-1 motorway runs from the capital Santa Cruz in the north to Adeje with it ...

links the south of the island, including Playa de las Américas and other southern resorts and towns, with its capital. The motorway itself starts near the Auditorio and gives access to Santa Cruz and La Laguna by three different routes.

Autopista TF-5 Autopista TF-5 is a motorway in the Canary Islands, in the north of Tenerife, running from Santa Cruz de Tenerife to Puerto de la Cruz. Most of the motorway is a Controlled-access highway or expressway, with some single carriageway remaining w ...

links Santa Cruz with the Puerto de la Cruz, La Orotava and the northern side of the island, passing right through La Laguna before entering Santa Cruz. The

Santa Cruz harbour The Port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife ( es, link=no, 'Puerto de Santa Cruz de Tenerife') in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, is used by fishing boats, commercial and passenger ships, and sports. Located on the Atlantic Ocean, it is managed by the Port Autho ...

is one of the busiest in Spain; three quays host regular ferries, fast ferries, cruise ships and merchant ships.

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, archipelago. With a land area of and a population of 978,100 inhabitant ...

, formerly Los Rodeos Airport, is adjacent to

on the western outskirts of the city. The mostly tourist

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 ...

, formerly Reina Sofia Airport, ranks 7th in Spain and is located next to the Autopista TF-1, 75 km. south of Santa Cruz. There are plans to link this airport to the capital with a railway network. The Intercambiador public transport/mass transit terminal is in the Avenida 3 de Mayo, and is the hub for all TITSA bus lines, the new Tenerife Tram service, and is a major car-parking area. The first tram line (opened in 2007) line 1, starts at the Intercambiador, and ends at La Laguna's Avenida Trinidad, with a planned extension to

A second line between La Cuesta and Tíncer opened in 2009 (connecting with Line 1 at Hospital Universitario and El Cardonal). Main article Tenerife Tram. Cabo-Llanos (south of downtown) is the location of new expansion. This area is undergoing a major building boom which has been nicknamed " Manhattanization", where tall, modern buildings and street layouts imitate American cities.

Economy

Santa Cruz de Tenerife has the highest concentration of shops in the Canary Islands. The economy of Santa Cruz relies mainly on services. Trade, tourism, import-export, the seaport and the presence of the major political and financial institutions, as well as the most important companies, guarantee a strong economic activity and development. The building sector is important, while industry, apart from the

oil refinery An oil refinery or petroleum refinery is an industrial processes, industrial process Factory, plant where petroleum (crude oil) is transformed and refining, refined into useful products such as gasoline (petrol), diesel fuel, asphalt, asphalt ...

and food processing, is relatively minor. Santa Cruz has regenerated many areas of the city and modernised its infrastructure, built brand new areas, malls, high buildings and some charismatic structures, such as Calatrava's ''Auditorio'' or the Congress Hall, César Manrique's Marina and the not-yet-completed Óscar Domínguez Museum of Modern Art and Culture ( IODACC) and the new Plaza de España layout, both by

Basel , french: link=no, Bâlois(e), it, Basilese , neighboring_municipalities= Allschwil (BL), Hégenheim (FR-68), Binningen (BL), Birsfelden (BL), Bottmingen (BL), Huningue (FR-68), Münchenstein (BL), Muttenz (BL), Reinach (BL), Riehen (BS) ...

-based Pritzker Prize winner studio Herzog & de Meuron. Work to renew the man-made Las Teresitas Beach is ongoing under the direction of French architect Dominique Perrault.

Cultural areas

: the work of Spanish architect

. Is an emblematic building of Spanish architecture. The Tenerife Auditorium stands northeast of the Marine Park. Their great sailing boat simulating has become a symbol of the city, island and archipelago. The auditorium has two rooms and a chamber symphony. It is the seat of Orquesta Sinfónica de Tenerife and it holds, among other acts, the

Festival de Ópera de Tenerife A festival is an event ordinarily celebrated by a community and centering on some characteristic aspect or aspects of that community and its religion or cultures. It is often marked as a local or national holiday, mela, or eid. A festival co ...

, the Classical Music Festival of the Canary Islands, the Tenerife International Film Music Festival and the delivery of awards Cadena Dial. * Guimerá Theater: Opened on 25 July 1851. Great 19th century building located in the central street of

Angel Guimerá In various theistic religious traditions an angel is a supernatural spiritual being who serves God. Abrahamic religions often depict angels as benevolent celestial intermediaries between God (or Heaven) and humanity. Other roles include ...

, is the oldest theater in the Canary Islands. * Museum of Fine Arts: This museum has, in addition to a fund with a deposit of works from the Prado Museum. Outstanding paintings by artists such as Peter Coeck, Ribera, Madrazo and Sorolla. As a fixed background, artists such as canaries Gaspar de Quevedo, Cristóbal Hernández de Quintana, and Juan Miranda González Méndez, among others. * Museum of Nature and Man: history, through pictures and objects, the

. There is a room where is the formation of the Canary Islands. Among the archaeological finds shown are several Guanche mummies, including two mummified fetuses. There are a lot of Guanche skulls and reproductions of works of Africa and the

pre-Columbian America In the history of the Americas, the pre-Columbian era spans from the original settlement of North and South America in the Upper Paleolithic period through European colonization, which began with Christopher Columbus's voyage of 1492. Usually, ...

among many other samples. It is a museum of international reputation since it has participated in international meetings on

archeology Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscape ...

. * Circulo de Bellas Artes: Founded in 1926 and based in Castle Street 43, is a cultural center that program of events, such as art exhibitions of painting and photography in the courtroom on the ground floor, directly accessible from the street. It has a cafeteria on the first floor. * Espacio Cultural El Tanque: In 1997 a former container tank at the refinery, there becomes exhibitions, dance and audio, alternative music, theater, classical music, new technologies and multimedia, among other productions. *

Centro de Fotografía Isla de Tenerife The Centro de Fotografía Isla de Tenerife (''Photo Center Tenerife Island'') is located in the city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Spain) and was created in 1989. Owns a studio and photo lab, conference room, a specialized library with more than 3,5 ...

: It has areas suitable for exhibition and study of traditional and contemporary photography. * The Art Room Recova: The Recova the Art Room is located in the old market town. Do not have a permanent collection, but are rotating exhibitions throughout the year. * TEA – Tenerife Espacio de las Artes: work of Herzog & de Meuron opened in 2008.

Urban sculptures

The city contains many pieces of sculpture, as well as the Exhibition of Outdoor Sculpture in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Situated along the Ramblas and the Parque Garcia Sanabria, the exhibition contains works by artists such as

Henry Moore Henry Spencer Moore (30 July 1898 – 31 August 1986) was an English artist. He is best known for his semi-abstract art, abstract monumental bronze sculptures which are located around the world as public works of art. As well as sculpture, Mo ...

Andreu Alfaro Andreu Alfaro Hernández (5 August 1929 – 13 December 2012) was a Spanish sculptor. Biography Alfaro was born in Valencia in 1929, the son of a butcher. A self-taught artist, he was related to the Valencian artists collective Parpalló Group ...

Martin Chirino Martin may refer to: Places * Martin City (disambiguation) * Martin County (disambiguation) * Martin Township (disambiguation) Antarctica * Martin Peninsula, Marie Byrd Land * Port Martin, Adelie Land * Point Martin, South Orkney Islands Aus ...

Joan Miró Joan Miró i Ferrà ( , , ; 20 April 1893 – 25 December 1983) was a Catalan painter, sculptor and ceramicist born in Barcelona. A museum dedicated to his work, the Fundació Joan Miró, was established in his native city of Barcelona i ...

and Óscar Domínguez, among others. File:Sol Rojo, by Édgar Negret.jpg, ''Sol Rojo'' by Edgar Neget File:Viseux 02.jpg, ''Homenaje'' a Millares by Claude Viseux File:Assler 01.jpg, ''Sin titulo'' by Federico Assler File:Monumento al Gato.jpg, ''Monumento al Gato'' by Óscar Domíngez File:Miro 05.jpg, ''Femme Bouteille'' by Joan Miró File:Alfaro 02.jpg, ''Sin titulo'' by Andreu Alfaro File:Lo llevo bien (escultura) 2.jpg, ''Lo llevo'' bien by Julio Nieto

Cultural events

Festival de Música Clásica de Canarias A festival is an event ordinarily celebrated by a community and centering on some characteristic aspect or aspects of that community and its religion or cultures. It is often marked as a local or national holiday, mela, or eid. A festival co ...

. *

. * Tenerife International Film Music Festival * Festival de Zarzuela de Canarias. * Festival Santa Blues de Tenerife. * Plátano Rock Festival. * MUMES. Mestizo Music Festival. * Festival de Salsa del Atlántico. * Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife * Día de la Cruz (''Cross Day'') * Rock Coast Festival * Premios Cadena Dial *

Recreation Gesta July 25 The Recreation Gesta July 25 (in Spanish: ''Recreación de la Gesta del 25 de julio'') it is a commemoration and historical re-enactment that takes place in the city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain) in July. This is a historical r ...

* Tenerife Zombie Walk

Nightlife

Santa Cruz has not been characterized by an intense night life, in contrast to the nearby university town of La Laguna. Nevertheless, there are several clubs and pubs spread across the city. The best known are in the Parque Marítimo César Manrique, 3 May Avenue and back, and in La Noria street Residencial Anaga. Moreover, in the area of Industrial Mayorazgo, three new clubs have opened. There are also pubs that have survived without belonging to a particular location for leisure, as the platform, near the Bullring, which opened its doors in 1991. It has recently gained importance as a leisure street Antonio Dominguez Alfonso (popularly known as Calle La Noria) and adjacent in the vicinity of the Church of the Conception. After several years of neglect, all the houses in this area has been recovered by the local hotel as tapas, light dinner and drinks. This street also hosts the headquarters of several murgas, music groups linked to

Carnival Carnival is a Catholic Christian festive season that occurs before the liturgical season of Lent. The main events typically occur during February or early March, during the period historically known as Shrovetide (or Pre-Lent). Carnival ...

, and independent organ of Events and Recreation. Popularly known as the Avenida de Anaga (as known to all roads adjacent to the port) is in his section of Avenida Francisco la Roche a classic dinner and drinks first. During the 90s was the nerve center of nightlife, the best known local focus of the city. Although many of them closed down because of licenses and noise, attempt to regain its glory today. To that end, the city will undertake various initiatives through 2009. In 2007, as decided by the City Council and managed by the Society for Development, is set in motion an ambitious plan for revitalization of the city under the brand name "Santa Cruz + Viva ', in accordance with

Cabildo Insular de Tenerife Cabildo Insular de Tenerife (Island Council of Tenerife) is the governing body of the island of Tenerife (Canary Islands). It was established on 16 March 1913 in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, in a session held by the City Council. It was, at that tim ...

and Government of the Canary Islands.

Media

In Santa Cruz de Tenerife have drafted the three provincial newspapers ('' Diario de Avisos'', '' La Opinión de Tenerife'' and '' El Día''), as well as editors of newspapers regional ''

La Gaceta de Canarias LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States. La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * La (musical note), or A, the sixth note * "L.A.", a song by Elliott Smith on ''Figure ...

''. Also located in the city the headquarters of various TV channels, most of which broadcast on the island: Spanish Television in the Canary Islands, Television Canaria, Antena 3 TV Canary Islands, Television Day, Canal 7 Atlantic,

Channel 4 Tenerife Channel, channels, channeling, etc., may refer to: Geography * Channel (geography), in physical geography, a landform consisting of the outline (banks) of the path of a narrow body of water. Australia * Channel Country, region of outback Austral ...

, Channel 8, etc. Most radio stations are also located in the city. Radio Club Tenerife (

Cadena SER La Cadena SER (the SER Network) is Spain's premier radio network in terms of both seniority (it was created in 1924) and audience share (it had a regular listenership in 2018 of 4,139,000). The acronym SER stands for ''Sociedad Española de Radi ...

), RNE, Teide Radio- Onda Cero, Radio Day,

Radio ECCA Radio ECCA is a multifaceted educational radio station which began as a training center in adult literacy on the Spanish Gran Canary Island in 1967. History A radio station dedicated exclusively to teaching was a revolutionary idea in 1965 whe ...

etc.. In the city is the headquarters of the

TV Canaria Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication Media (communication), medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of Transmission (telecommunications), television tra ...

Tourist sites

(Auditorium of Tenerife): Designed by

, the Auditorium of Tenerife was constructed in 2003. The building has an organic and famous structure in the shape of 'sails' with white blue rollers. The auditorium has a big room for concerts, a room for opera and other smaller rooms. It is an emblem of the city and is one of the more photographed buildings. This building is in the

Port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife The Port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife ( es, link=no, 'Puerto de Santa Cruz de Tenerife') in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, is used by fishing boats, commercial and passenger ships, and sports. Located on the Atlantic Ocean, it is managed by the Port Auth ...

close to the sea. It was inaugurated on 26 September 2003 with the presence of

Felipe de Borbón Felipe VI (;, * eu, Felipe VI.a, * ca, Felip VI, * gl, Filipe VI, . Felipe Juan Pablo Alfonso de Todos los Santos de Borbón y Grecia; born 30 January 1968) is King of Spain. He is the son of former King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofía, and h ...

, Prince of Asturias, and was also visited by former U.S. President

Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton (Birth name, né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 ...

. The profile of the famous and majestic auditorium has become a symbol of the city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. It is one of the main attractions of Tenerife and the Canary Islands. * Torres de Santa Cruz (Towers of Santa Cruz): Twin towers finished in 2006 are the highest skyscrapers of the city and the Canary Islands, was the tallest residential building in Spain until 2010. The Torres de Santa Cruz are also the tallest twin towers in Spain. * Plaza de España (Spain Square): is the largest

square In Euclidean geometry, a square is a regular quadrilateral, which means that it has four equal sides and four equal angles (90-degree angles, π/2 radian angles, or right angles). It can also be defined as a rectangle with two equal-length a ...

in the city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and the Canary Islands. The square is located in the center of town, just meters north of the

. It is the heart of the city, stands the great artificial lake source or work of

Swiss Swiss may refer to: * the adjectival form of Switzerland * Swiss people Places * Swiss, Missouri *Swiss, North Carolina * Swiss, West Virginia * Swiss, Wisconsin Other uses * Swiss-system tournament, in various games and sports *Swiss Internati ...

architects Herzog & de Meuron. *

Tenerife Espacio de las Artes The Tenerife Arts Space ( es, Tenerife Espacio de las Artes, TEA) is a cultural space and building in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Tenerife, Spain. Opened in 2008, it was designed by Herzog & de Meuron and Virgilio Gutierrez. It houses a permanent exh ...

(Tenerife Space of Arts – TEA): Building designed by the Swiss firm of architects Herzog & de Meuron and directed by the Canary architect Virgilio Gutierrez Herreros. The building houses the contemporary museum Óscar Domínguez Institute, the Alejandro Cioranescu Island Library and the Center for Photography Island of Tenerife. In addition, the property has a hall, a restaurant, a shop, a public plaza, offices. * Parque García Sanabria: is a public

urban park An urban park or metropolitan park, also known as a municipal park (North America) or a public park, public open space, or municipal gardens ( UK), is a park in cities A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Pe ...

in the heart of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, it was inaugurated in 1926. It is a large garden area, combined with fountains and

architectural Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and constructing buildings ...

groups. It is the largest urban park in the Canary Islands. It has an area of . * Centro Internacional de Ferias y Congresos de Tenerife (Tenerife International Centre for Trade Fairs and Congresses): The complex was designed by architect and engineer

is configured as a multipurpose building that can host major fairs, exhibitions and conferences that take place on the island of Tenerife. The

Great Hall A great hall is the main room of a royal palace, castle or a large manor house or hall house in the Middle Ages, and continued to be built in the country houses of the 16th and early 17th centuries, although by then the family used the gre ...

, located on the top floor, took a total of 12,000 square meters, making it the largest covered space in the Canary Islands. *

: is a beach in the village of San Andrés municipality of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. It is one of the most important beaches of the Tenerife and the Canary Islands. * Museo de la Naturaleza y el Hombre (Museum of Nature and Man) is a museum of

and

biology Biology is the scientific study of life. It is a natural science with a broad scope but has several unifying themes that tie it together as a single, coherent field. For instance, all organisms are made up of cells that process hereditar ...

that has participated in international meetings on archeology, but his fame is mainly due to its formidable collection of Guanche mummies. For this reason, the Museum of Nature and Man is a world reference in regard to preservation of mummies. *

: Is a

Masonic Temple A Masonic Temple or Masonic Hall is, within Freemasonry, the room or edifice where a Masonic Lodge meets. Masonic Temple may also refer to an abstract spiritual goal and the conceptual ritualistic space of a meeting. Development and history I ...

located in the on San Lucas street. It is considered the finest example of Masonic Temple in Spain. Similarly was even greater in Spain Masonic Center before it was occupied by Franco's military.

Naval history

Due to the strategic location of Tenerife on the route between the Mediterranean and the Americas, it was attacked a number of times by the English and the Dutch. In particular, Santa Cruz Bay was the scene of two notable naval engagements involving two of the most famous British admirals. In 1656, Admiral Robert Blake totally destroyed a Spanish silver fleet of 16 ships for the loss of none of his own, despite being under fire from shore batteries and attacking and withdrawing on the tide. 50 years later, the British under John Jennings were defeated when they attacked the island on 6 November 1706 during the

War of the Spanish Succession The War of the Spanish Succession was a European great power conflict that took place from 1701 to 1714. The death of childless Charles II of Spain in November 1700 led to a struggle for control of the Spanish Empire between his heirs, Phili ...

. In 1797 Admiral

Horatio Nelson Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, 1st Duke of Bronte (29 September 1758 – 21 October 1805) was a British flag officer in the Royal Navy. His inspirational leadership, grasp of strategy, and unconventional tactics brought ...

met with bloody defeat in an

attempt An attempt to commit a crime occurs if a criminal has an intent to commit a crime and takes a substantial step toward completing the crime, but for reasons not intended by the criminal, the final resulting crime does not occur.''Criminal Law - ...

to storm the harbour. It was at this battle that Nelson lost his right arm having been hit before he had stepped off the ship's boat. It was on Santiago's day and that is the reason for having Santiago's sword cutting the lion's head as a symbol of the British defeat.

Symbols of Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Seal

The seal of Santa Cruz de Tenerife has the characteristic features of the Loyal, Noble, Invicta and very beneficial Town, Port and Plaza de Santa Cruz de Santiago de Tenerife. Curiously, it is not square or shield-shaped, but oval. In a blue background with anchors and castles have a green cross, the symbol of the Foundation Cross, which gave the city its name. Behind the cross is a sword of Santiago in red, reminiscent of the day in which the city of Santiago defeated

. Under this sword are three lion heads facing right (the shield), which symbolizes the victories of the city over Nelson's English privateers, Blake and Jennings. It has castles, anchors and an island of silver. Also holds the Medal of Charity and the Crown. The crown of laurel and olive trees surrounding the shield is the symbol of victory for the city to each and every one of the attacks.

Flag

The flag of Santa Cruz de Tenerife is all white with the municipal shield in the center. Granted by Royal Warrant of King Charles IV of 28 August 1803. On a white cloth, coat of arms of the city. The white, the characteristic of the

Bourbon dynasty The House of Bourbon (, also ; ) is a European dynasty of French origin, a branch of the Capetian dynasty, the royal House of France. Bourbon kings first ruled France and Kingdom of Navarre, Navarre in the 16th century. By the 18th century, memb ...

, refers to fidelity to the city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife in the Royal House of Spain.

Port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife

The

is a fishing port, commercial, passenger and sports from the city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, capital of the island, located in the Atlantic Ocean. It is managed by the Port Authority of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. It is the first fishing port in the

with approximately 7,500 tons of fish caught, according to the Statistical Yearbook of the State Ports 2006 (the latest of which is changing). Following this report is the largest port number of passengers recorded.

Climate

Santa Cruz has a warm

semi-arid climate A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of semi- ...

(

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, nota ...

: ''BSh'') with less precipitation in the summer than in the winter. Its average annual temperature is during the day and at night. In the coolest month – January, the typical day temperature ranges from , to around at night, the average sea temperature is . In the warmest month, August, the typical day temperature ranges from , to above at night, whilst the average sea temperature is . Sunshine hours average at 2,887 per year, from 168 in December and to 337 in July and August. Precipitation per year is only , concentrated heavily between November and March: May to September are normally mostly dry. Precipitation patterns closely resemble those of the

Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate (also called a dry summer temperate climate ''Cs'') is a temperate climate sub-type, generally characterized by warm, dry summers and mild, fairly wet winters; these weather conditions are typically experienced in the ...

s found in mainland Spain and up the hill in La Laguna, but generally with less precipitation during winter months.

Culture

Carnival

During the Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, thousands of people take to the streets each year for over a week. On 18 January 1980 it was declared a Fiesta of International Tourist Interest by the Secretary of State for Tourism, and is one of the world's largest carnivals. At present, the Carnival of Santa Cruz hopes to become a

Masonic influence

Santa Cruz de Tenerife is characterized, among other things, by the influence of

Freemasonry Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...

exhibited by some of the most important historical buildings in the city, a palpable influence even on the plane of the city. The city had a significant number of mayors and politicians affiliated with Freemasonry, especially between the 19th and early 20th centuries. In this city the Añaza Lodge (''Logia Añaza'') was founded in 1895, which was one of the most important Masonic workshops in Spain in the 20th century and helped consolidate Freemasonry in the Canary Islands and spread the culture and ideas of progress in the Canarian society of the time. Under its auspices the Masonic Temple of Santa Cruz de Tenerife will be built, located on Calle San Lucas and which was the largest Masonic center in Spain until the military occupation of the Franco regime. The influence of Masonic symbolism on the architecture and urban planning of the city has been the subject of various academic studies, from the works of Professor Sebastián Hernández Gutiérrez of the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, through the studies of Professor David Martín López from the University of Granada. More recently those of the architect Carlos Pallés, curator of the exhibitions "''Rostros de La Logia Añaza''" and "''Masonería y Sociedad''" held in 2014. Melchor Padilla, professor of Geography and History at the

University of La Laguna The University of La Laguna (ULL; Spanish: ''Universidad de La Laguna'') is a public research university situated in San Cristóbal de La Laguna, on the island of Tenerife, Spain. It is the oldest university in the Canary Islands. The universit ...

, maintains that by joining some of the buildings and enclaves with Masonic symbols of the city, they form a pentacle or five-pointed star that would extend through the center of the city and whose center would be the García Sanabria Park. In 2016 an international Masonic congress was held in Santa Cruz de Tenerife in which 17 regular supreme councils from different countries of the world participated, around 300 people participated in the congress. At present there are several tourist routes with a Masonic theme that are organized in the city. Some of the buildings and places with Masonic symbols in the city are: * Palacio Insular de Tenerife * Chamber of Commerce building * Parque García Sanabria * Cemetery of San Rafael and San Roque * Museo Municipal de Bellas Artes de Santa Cruz de Tenerife *

Sites of interest

Attractions

* Calle de la Noria *

Palmetum of Santa Cruz de Tenerife The Palmetum of Santa Cruz de Tenerife is a botanical garden of 120.000 m² specialized in palms (Arecaceae) . It is an artificial hill, with views of the ocean, located in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain. The gardens include a large ...

* Museo de la Naturaleza y el Hombre *

Parque Marítimo César Manrique The Parque Marítimo César Manrique is an entertainment complex, designed by architect César Manrique, located in the city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Tenerife, Spain). The park is located in the current area of expansion of the capital of islan ...

Teatro Guimerá Teatro Guimerá is a theatre located in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the capital city of the island of Tenerife in the Canary Islands ( Spain). Built in 1849, it is the oldest theater in the Canary Islands. In 1923 it was named after the writer, po ...

* Museo Municipal de Bellas Artes de Santa Cruz de Tenerife * Palacio Insular de Tenerife * Casa del Carnaval (''Carnival House of Santa Cruz de Tenerife'') In the environs: *

** Igueste de San Andrés ** Taganana ** San Andrés

Skyscrapers

* Torres de Santa Cruz * Rascacielos de la avenida Tres de Mayo * Edificio Olimpo * Edificio Juan Amador

Parks and squares

* Parque García Sanabria *

Parque de La Granja The Parque de La Granja is a park in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(E ...

* Plaza de 25 de julio (de los Patos) * Plaza de España *

Plaza de la Candelaria The Plaza de la Candelaria, is a square in the city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain), which is located next to the Plaza de España. In the square stands the monument of Triunfo de la Candelaria, also called the Obelisk of La Cand ...

* Plaza del Príncipe * Plaza de Weyler *

Plaza del Chicharro A town square (or square, plaza, public square, city square, urban square, or ''piazza'') is an open public space, commonly found in the heart of a traditional town but not necessarily a true geometric square, used for community gatherings. ...

Churches and historical monuments

* Iglesia de La Concepción (church) * Iglesia de San Francisco de Asís (church) * Iglesia de Nuestra Señora del Pilar (church) * Iglesia de San José (church) * Cabildo Insular de Tenerife (governing body of the island) * Castle of St John the Baptist or ''Castillo Negro'' * Castle of San Cristóbal *

Castle of San Andrés The Castle of San Andrés or Tower of San Andrés (''Castillo de San Andrés'' or ''Torre de San Andrés'') is located in the village of San Andrés (Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain). This castle served to protect the island of Tene ...

* Parlamento de Canarias (Parliament of the Canary Islands) *

Commercial areas

Santa Cruz is popular for its wide commercial offerings, including zona Centro (Central part) – Pedestrian calle Castillo, San José, del Pilar, Viera y Clavijo Zona Rambla (Rambla area) or Rambla de Pulido, calle Ramón y Cajal, and the big shopping centres and department stores in Avenida de 3 Mayo, plus the big malls in Añaza on the southern suburbs. The most upmarket and high street shopping is located along Calle del Pilar and nearby Parque Bulevar Shopping Centre, where many designer shops can be found. International and local brands of shops and restaurants, such as Zara,

Mango A mango is an edible stone fruit produced by the tropical tree '' Mangifera indica''. It is believed to have originated in the region between northwestern Myanmar, Bangladesh, and northeastern India. ''M. indica'' has been cultivated in Sout ...

, H&M, El Corte Inglés,

IKEA IKEA (; ) is a Dutch multinational conglomerate based in the Netherlands that designs and sells , kitchen appliances, decoration, home accessories, and various other goods and home services. Started in 1943 by Ingvar Kamprad, IKEA has been ...

, C&A,

McDonald's McDonald's Corporation is an American multinational fast food Fast food is a type of mass-produced food designed for commercial resale, with a strong priority placed on speed of service. It is a commercial term, limited to food sold ...

and

Burger King Burger King (BK) is an American-based multinational chain of hamburger fast food restaurants. Headquartered in Miami-Dade County, Florida, the company was founded in 1953 as Insta-Burger King, a Jacksonville, Florida–based restaurant c ...

are much present on the island. Not only the wide range of shops makes the city attractive but the

lower prices Lower may refer to: *Lower (surname) *Lower Township, New Jersey *Lower Receiver (firearms) *Lower Wick Gloucestershire, England See also *Nizhny Nizhny (russian: Ни́жний; masculine), Nizhnyaya (; feminine), or Nizhneye (russian: Ни́� ...

found in many items, such as tobacco, alcohol, electronic devices, beauty products, sunglasses or even food or coffee. They are indeed much lower than in most cities of Western Europe including Spain, due to the very special and much lighter taxation on goods enjoyed on the Canary Islands.

Sports

* CD Tenerife: Founded in 1912, it currently plays in Segunda División, holding home matches at the Estadio Heliodoro Rodríguez López, with a 22,824-seat capacity. Honours: In 1991, Argentine Jorge Valdano took charge of the club as manager, and would help rob former side Real Madrid of two consecutive league titles in the last round, to the benefit of

FC Barcelona Futbol Club Barcelona (), commonly referred to as Barcelona and colloquially known as Barça (), is a professional Football team, football club based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, that competes in La Liga, the top flight of Spanish footb ...

; in the first season, the Canary Islands outfit barely avoided relegation, but would finish in a best-ever fifth position in the following year, eventually reaching the round of 16 in the subsequent

UEFA Cup A cup is an open-top used to hold hot or cold liquids for pouring or drinking; while mainly used for drinking, it also can be used to store solids for pouring (e.g., sugar, flour, grains, salt). Cups may be made of glass, metal, china, cla ...

, losing to Juventus 2–4 on aggregate. CF Tenerife has finished in fifth position in

La Liga The Campeonato Nacional de Liga de Primera División, commonly known simply as Primera División in Spain, and as La Liga in English-speaking countries and officially as LaLiga Santander for sponsorship reasons, stylized as LaLiga, is the men' ...

on two occasions, in

1992–93 Year 199 ( CXCIX) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was sometimes known as year 952 ''Ab urbe condita''. The denomination 199 for this year has been used since th ...

and 1995–96. It is the only Canary team that has played a European competition. *

CV Tenerife Club Voleibol Tenerife aka tubillete.com Tenerife Marichal was a Spanish volleyball club who played their home matches at the Pabellón Insular Santiago Martín hall in Tenerife. The team participates in the Women's CEV Champions League 2007-08. ...

: Volleyball is one of the island's most successful sports, particularly in women's volleyball where CV Tenerife were European champions and participate in the Spanish Super League. Two other teams are the women's CV Aguere 2009/2010 Super League champions 0and the men's Arona Playa de las Américas which competes in the Spanish Super League. There is a growing interest in this sport in Tenerife. * Isla Tenerife Canarias: is a professional basketball team based in

, Canary Islands, and plays in the Pabellón Insular Santiago Martín, in Liga ACB league.

Education

International schools: *

Lycée Français de Tenerife "Jules Verne" In France, secondary education is in two stages: * ''Collèges'' () cater for the first four years of secondary education from the ages of 11 to 15. * ''Lycées'' () provide a three-year course of further secondary education for children between ...

(French school) * Deutsche Schule Santa Cruz de Tenerife (German school) in nearby

* Svenska Skolan Teneriffa (Swedish school) in nearby Arona *

British School of Tenerife British School of Tenerife (BST) is a British international school in Tenerife, Spain. It serves levels early years through sixth form college. The school has campuses in La Orotava and Los Realejos Los Realejos is a town and a municipality in ...

with campuses in La Orotava, Los Realejos, and Puerto de la Cruz * Wingate School (British school) in Arona

Celebrations of the city

* 27 January, anniversary of the designation of Santa Cruz de Tenerife as the capital of the Canary Islands. * February, Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife (of International Tourist Interest). * 3 May, May festivities. Día de la Cruz (Day of the City of Santa Cruz de Tenerife). * 25 July, the day of

Saint James the Great James the Great, also known as James, son of Zebedee, Saint James the Great, Saint James the Greater, Saint James the Elder, or Saint Jacob (Aramaic ܝܥܩܘܒ ܒܪ ܙܒܕܝ, Arabic يعقوب, Hebrew בן זבדי , '' Yaʿăqōḇ'', Latin '' ...

(patron saint of Santa Cruz de Tenerife) and defeat of Admiral Nelson. This festival is part of the acts of the

Consulates

The consulates located in Santa Cruz de Tenerife are: *

Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...

Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, t ...

Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to ...

Bolivia , image_flag = Bandera de Bolivia (Estado).svg , flag_alt = Horizontal tricolor (red, yellow, and green from top to bottom) with the coat of arms of Bolivia in the center , flag_alt2 = 7 × 7 square p ...

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the eas ...

* Colombia * Costa Rica *

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark , establishe ...

Ecuador Ecuador ( ; ; Quechuan languages, Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar language, Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechuan ...

Finland Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bo ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan ar ...

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG),, is a country in Central Europe. It is the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany lies between the Baltic and North Sea to the north and the Alps to the sou ...

* Guatemala * Honduras *

India India, officially the Republic of India ( Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the ...

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...

Liberia Liberia (), officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the West African coast. It is bordered by Sierra Leone to its northwest, Guinea to its north, Ivory Coast to its east, and the Atlantic Ocean to its south and southwest. It ...

Mexico Mexico ( Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guate ...

Monaco Monaco (; ), officially the Principality of Monaco (french: Principauté de Monaco; Ligurian: ; oc, Principat de Mónegue), is a sovereign ''Sovereign'' is a title which can be applied to the highest leader in various categories. The word ...

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

Nicaragua Nicaragua (; ), officially the Republic of Nicaragua (), is the largest Sovereign state, country in Central America, bordered by Honduras to the north, the Caribbean Sea, Caribbean to the east, Costa Rica to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to ...

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal , national_motto = "Fi ...

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, In recognized minority languages of Portugal: :* mwl, República Pertuesa is a country located on the Iberian Peninsula, in Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Macaronesian ...

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...

* Sweden *

Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

Uruguay Uruguay (; ), officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay ( es, República Oriental del Uruguay), is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast; while bordering ...

Venezuela Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in ...

International relations

Twin towns – sister cities

Santa Cruz de Tenerife is

twinned Twinning (making a twin of) may refer to: * In biology and agriculture, producing two offspring (i.e., twins) at a time, or having a tendency to do so; * Twin towns and sister cities, towns and cities involved in town twinning * Twinning inst ...

with:

Notable people

Rafael Arozarena Rafael Arozarena (April 4, 1923 – September 30, 2009) was a Spanish poet and novelist, born in Tenerife, Canary Islands. He studied medicine and after that he started writing books, because writing was what he liked the most and what he usually ...

, (1923–2009), writer Leopoldo ODonnell

* Fernando Fernández Martín (born 1943), politician * Juan Carlos Fresnadillo (born 1967), film director *

Simón de Herrera Simón de Herrera y Leyva (1754–1813) was a lifelong political and military professional for Spain, primarily in the lands known as New Spain and at times ventured to Europe. He became an interim governor of Spanish Texas at San Antonio an ...

(1754–1813), interim governor of Spanish Texas and of

Nuevo León Nuevo León () is a state in the northeast region of Mexico. The state was named after the New Kingdom of León, an administrative territory from the Viceroyalty of New Spain, itself was named after the historic Spanish Kingdom of León. With ...

. * Julio Hormiga (born 1985), retired footballer *

Maria Rozman Maria Rozman (born March 18, 1970 – Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands) is Telemundo Washington DC's News Director of Spanish origin. Biography Rozman attended the University of La Laguna in Tenerife, where she studied law. She has a b ...

(1971–), news director of

Telemundo Telemundo (; formerly NetSpan) is an American Spanish-language terrestrial television network owned by NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises, a division of NBCUniversal, which in turn is owned by Comcast. It provides content nationally with prog ...

Washington, D.C. and

Denver Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the United ...

and Univisión Denver. * Àngel Guimerà (1845–1924), writer *

Adán Martín Menis Adán Martín Menis (19 October 1943 – 10 October 2010)Luis Molowny Luis Molowny Arbelo (12 May 1925 – 12 February 2010) was a Spanish football midfielder and coach. He amassed La Liga totals of 175 matches and 90 goals during 12 seasons, with Real Madrid and Las Palmas. He went on to work as a manager with th ...

(1925–2010), football player * Leopoldo O'Donnell (1809–1867), politician *

Ayoze Pérez Ayoze Pérez Gutiérrez (born 29 July 1993) is a Spanish professional Association football, footballer who plays as a Forward (association football), forward or attacking midfielder for La Liga club Real Betis, on loan from Premier League club ...

(born 1993), football player * Pedro, (born 1987), footballer *

Alberto Vázquez-Figueroa Alberto Vázquez-Figueroa (born 11 October 1936 in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands) is a Spanish novelist, inventor and industrialist. His novels have sold over 25 million copies worldwide. He is the owner of A.V.F.S.L, a desalinization co ...

, (born 1936), writer *

Eduardo Westerdahl Eduardo Westerdahl (Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands, 1902 - ibidem, 1983) was a Spanish painter, art critic and writer, and a member of the Surrealist Movement. Biographical notes Westerdahl was born of a Catalan mother and Swedish father ...

(1902–1983), art critic and author *

Andrew Wolfson Andrew Cecil Wolfson (1 May 1890 – 26 July 1978) was an English first-class cricketer. Wolfson was the son of the Russian-born Henry Wolfson, who emigrated to England before making a fortune cultivating potatoes and tomatoes in the Canary ...

(1890–1978), cricketer

In popular culture

*In the 2016 film, the opening part of the movie " Jason Bourne" was filmed in this city. To do this, the city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife was especially set to simulate the

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...

cities of

Athens Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Greece, largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh List ...

and

Piraeus Piraeus ( ; el, Πειραιάς ; grc, Πειραιεύς ) is a port city within the Athens urban area ("Greater Athens"), in the Attica region of Greece. It is located southwest of Athens' city centre, along the east coast of the Sar ...

. The Plaza de España which is the main square of city of Santa Cruz, was set to represent

Syntagma Square Syntagma Square ( el, Πλατεία Συντάγματος, , "Constitution Square") is the central square of Athens. The square is named after the Constitution that Otto, the first King of Greece, was obliged to grant after a popular and militar ...

References

External links

* * *
Santa Cruz 360°
{{Authority control Populated coastal places in Spain Populated places established in the 1490s Port cities and towns on the Spanish Atlantic coast 1494 establishments 15th-century establishments in Africa Municipalities in Tenerife Capitals in Africa Populated places in Tenerife