Abandoned Places
Leper Colony in the Valley of the Lepers
I’m going to show you a secret place – the Valley of the Lepers in Tenerife. It’s a whole abandoned village with many unfinished residential buildings. Sometimes you come across unusual graffiti. And towering above all this gloom is a huge abandoned temple with a concrete cross. The leprosarium has a sad history. Read more in the article.
Bunker de San Andrés
The next spot is the abandoned military bunker near San Andrés (Bunker de San Andrés). It was a very interesting adventure! I hiked up into the mountains and after an hour of walking, I saw the entrance to the bunker disguised in the rock. Inside were long dark corridors, rooms for soldiers, and embrasures for machine guns. The bunker makes an eerie impression, but the view from it is stunning!
Bunker de San Andrés was built during World War II, in 1940-1942. Spain was officially neutral at the time, but actually supported Germany and Fascist Italy. Therefore, the Allies were worried that the Germans might capture the Canary Islands and use them as a military base. To strengthen the defense of the islands, the Spanish began to build bunkers and pillboxes along the entire coast. A total of 392 bunkers were built.
Bunker de San Andrés was supposed to cover the approaches to the city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife from land. It was built by Spanish soldiers, without the help of the Germans. Fortunately, in the end, the bunker was not needed – the Allies never attacked the Canaries. After the war, the bunker was abandoned and forgotten. Now it’s just an interesting place for explorers and history buffs like me :)
Abandoned Solar Thermoelectric Power Plant
Near El Medano in the south of Tenerife, there is an abandoned giant parabolic antenna with a diameter of 26 meters. This was supposed to be a thermoelectric power plant (Central termoeléctrica solar abandonada), construction of which began in 2008. But local residents protested, as the power plant violated the protected status of the territory. As a result, construction was frozen and investors left the site. Now this dead structure resembles the scenery of a sci-fi movie. Be sure to visit this mystical place if you’re in the south of the island! Coordinates.
Road to Nowhere
I randomly found an abandoned road with no beginning and no end. It just starts from one wall to another. It has markings and crosswalks. The road itself is in good condition without potholes. This is how it looks from the satellite.
Where did it come from? Coordinates.
Unfinished House El Esqueleto (La Matanza)
El Rio Dam
Presa Del Rio Dam in the El Rio gorge has never been and will never be used. Imagine, a giant structure 53.8 m high and 113 m wide, but with not a drop of water behind it! It has become a silent reminder of past failures and the importance of carefully planning such large projects. But lovers of abandoned places and stunning canyons appreciate this space. Read more in the article.
Semáforo de Anaga (or Semáforo de Igueste)
Semáforo de Anaga (or Semáforo de Igueste) is a former semaphore signaling station located near Igueste in the north of the island of Tenerife. It opened in 1895 and operated until 1970, after which it was abandoned.
Its strategic location on Cape Anaga allowed observation of ships arriving at the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. From 1506, smoke and fire signals were used here to watch the sea.
In 1884, by royal decree, one of the first 20 electro-semaphore signaling stations in Spain was built here, at an altitude of over 200 m above sea level.
The main building had a rectangular shape with two living quarters for caretakers, a kitchen, and toilets. Separate buildings were used for staff housing and an observatory. There were rainwater collection tanks and an oven.
A 16-meter high signal mast with a 12-point traverse for flags transmitted information about approaching ships, their type, and nationality to the port.
The station ceased operation in the 1970s due to the development of maritime communications. Since then, the building has been abandoned and badly damaged – doors and windows knocked out, ceilings collapsed, several fires occurred.
Interesting facts:
- On the 123rd anniversary of the semaphore in 2018, signal fires were lit and an optical signal was sent from the naval command.
- Some confuse the shape of the mast with a cross because of its unusual concrete structure with a cast iron tip.
Semáforo de Anaga is a monument and symbol of this part of Tenerife. There are now plans to restore the station and create a lookout point and observation center there with cameras and aweather station. However, access is only possible on foot along a steep 2.5 km trail.
The 1000 Windows of Güímar
The Windows of Güímar (Las Ventanas De Güimar) is a hidden corner of the island, shrouded in mystery and danger. It’s not just a series of narrow tunnels, but a real engineering masterpiece – an aqueduct through which water from mountain streams was supposed to flow to the valley. Despite the colossal work done, the risk and self-sacrifice of the workers, the aqueduct remained unclaimed! This place is not for the faint of heart! Walking here is prohibited as it is extremely dangerous. The hiking route is unofficial. It is called Mil Ventanas de Güimar, which means “1000 Windows of Güímar” in Spanish. Read more about the Windows of Güímar here.
Chapel on Top of a Volcano
An awesome viewpoint over the Orotava Valley and the town of Puerto de la Cruz is the Ermita de La Cruz chapel on top of the La Montaña de Los Frailes volcano in Tenerife. The chapel is dedicated to the veneration of the Holy Cross. On May 3, a grand celebration takes place here, when hundreds of pilgrims climb to the chapel. For the people of Tenerife, this is an important cultural and geographical site. Be sure to climb up to the chapel if you are in the north of the island! The views from the top of the volcano are amazing. The road starts at the beautiful Mesón El Monasterio restaurant and goes through a small park. Coordinates.
Instagrammable Places
Arch with a View of Teide
The arch is located not far from the Mirador La Tarta near the road that goes from Teide to the north.
Tenerife’s Third Airport
What a twist! Turns out our lovely island has not two, but three airports! And the third one is tiny, toy-like. That’s where they launch model airplanes.
This aerodrome is called Club Aeromodelismo de Tenerife. It’s in Granadilla. The club has over 130 members. All fans of model airplanes and helicopters. To fly, you need to become a club member and pay dues. The club is already 35 years old. They hold aeromodelling festivals, even international ones.
The club has had three presidents. Currently it’s Diaz Piñero. They cooperate with the Canary Islands Ministry of Sports. It is the largest club in all the Canary Islands. So if you want to fly model airplanes, call them and you can join their club.
Download the map of all the places for Google maps below:
