Santa Cruz de Tenerife

bgcolor="#FFFFFF"	Santa Cruz de Tenerife		bgcolor="#FFFFFF"	Map		bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
Statistics		bgcolor="#FFFFFF"nnntadnytafgnygyta	Autonomous region:	Canary Islands	bgcolor="#FFFFFF"	Province:	Santa Cruz de Tenerife	bgcolor="#FFFFFF"	Island:	Tenerife	bgcolor="#FFFFFF"	Area:	150.56 km² some reads 150.54 km²	bgcolor="#FFFFFF"	Population:	219,446 (2004)	bgcolor="#FFFFFF"	Population density:	1,457.33/km²	bgcolor="#FFFFFF"	Elevation:	325 m	bgcolor="#FFFFFF"	Postal code:	E-38003	bgcolor="#FFFFFF" valign="top"	Location:	28.4667/28°28' N lat. 16.26/16°15' W long.	bgcolor="#FFFFFF"	Municipal code:	E-38038	bgcolor="#FFFFFF"	Name of inhabitants:	Santacruceros or Chicarreros	bgcolor="#FFFFFF"	Car designation:	`TF`	bgcolor="#FFFFFF"	Politics		bgcolor="#FFFFFF"	Mayor:	Miguel Zerolo Aguilar (CC)

Santa Cruz de Tenerife (2003 population 220,022) is a Spanish city on the island of Tenerife, in the Canary Islands.

It is the capital of the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and a co-capital of the autonomous community of the Canary Islands. The municipality is the northernmost and the easternmost in the island and only the easternmost in the province.

The city is a seaport and a subtropical resort, offering its impressive scenery and mild sub-tropical climate to visitors.

The port also exports products of the Canaries such as vegetables, tobacco, tomatoes and bananas. The port is also one of the major stations in the cruisers' rout from northern Europe to the Caribbean.

Historical population

Year	Population	Change
1991	200,172	-
1996	203,787	-
2001	188,477	1,453.28/km²
2002	217,414	-
2003	220,022	1,461.36/km²
2004	219,466	1,457.33/km²

In 1990, the population slowly boomed above the 200,000 mark but fell in the late-1990s but returned in 2002 and head to a record level in the 2003 census but the 2004 population saw a minor slowdown.

Subdivisions

San Andrés

There are five administrative subdivisions in Santa Cruz de Tenerife: Anaga, Centro - Las Colinas, Salud - La Salle, Ofra - Costa Sur and Suroeste. You can learn more about Santa Cruz de Tenerife´s subdivisions in ^* (Spanish). After recent national legislation (Major Cities Act), each district has a local citizen participation committee ("Tagoror") where representatives of the differente political parties and residents' associations have some influence in municipal policies in their district.

Economy

The economy of Santa Cruz relies mainly on services. Trade, import-export, the seaport and the presence of the major political and finantial institutions, as well as the most important companies, guarantee a strong economic activity. The building sector is also quite relevant, while industry, apart from the oil reffinery, is very minoritary.

History

The area was known to the Guanches, the first inhabitants of the island, as Añazo. Later, it became one of the most important ports of the Atlantic and the Canary Islands, a position it retains to this day. The rise of this former fishermen village happened after a Volcano destroyed the port of Garachico in the XVIII century. Santa Cruz became the major port of the Island. It acquired first independence from La Laguna and, in the 19th century, was awarded the status of Capital of the Canary Islands province by king Ferdinand VII.

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 one of his own, despite being under fire from shore batteries and attacking and withdrawing on the tide. 50 years later, the British under John Genings were defeated when they attacked the island on November 6, 1706 during the War of the Spanish Succession.

Nelson's attempt

After having captured four Spanish vessels off cape San Vicente (Portugal) in February of that year, Jervis, who sailed for Lisbon (Portugal) after the engagement, received orders from the admiralty that he should subdue the then blockaded Spanish port of Cádiz (southern Spain), where the rest of the shattered Spanish squadron had sought shelter. The British first sea Lord thought that the easiness of Jervis´ victory over de Córdoba guaranteed a successful attack on that southern harbour. Jervis´ ships besieged Cádiz more closely but, to their surprise, were repelled by an unexpected synergy force. Smaller cannon boats organised in a flotilla scattered across the bay under Spanish commander Mazarredo and brought disaster to Jervis´ fleet. These yachts, bearing one larger calibre cannon (24 pound), had a clear advantage when coastal warfare in shallow water was involved, as they could manoeuvre more easily, even in the darkness, and position themselves in order to attack the most vulnerable parts of ships of the line. The city batteries alongside the Spanish war ships anchored at harbour joined those boats in bombarding the assaulters, who loosened up the grip of the blockade and as a result many merchant convoys were able to enter and leave the port.

THE BRITISH LOOK DOWN AT TENERIFE

The blockading British war ships crews began feeling fed up with the long stay at sea and mutiny knocked on the captain´s door. Jervis heard of treasure Spanish convoys from America arriving regularly at Tenerife, which was fortified, rather than at Cádiz and sent two reconnoitring frigates over. Caught by surprise by boats from English frigates Minerve and Lively that entered the port of Sta. Cruz in the dark, French privateer frigate La Mutine and another Spanish frigate of the Philippine Company were captured in April. It encouraged the British fleet enough for Jervis to commission a small squadron with the aim of invading its capital Santa Cruz by means of an amphibian attack. Therefore, on July 14, just promoted rear-admiral Horatio Nelson, hoisting his flagship on HMS Theseus, captain Miller, sailed for the Canary islands ahead of a squadron including HMS´s Culloden, captain Troubridge, Zealous, captain Hood, all 74´s; frigates Seahorse (38) commanded by captain Freemantle, Emerald (36) by captain Waller and Terpsichore (32), captain Bowen; cutter Fox under lieutenant Gibson and cannon boat Ray, lieutenant Crompton. HMS Leander (50), captain Thompson, joined the flotilla once the attack had started. This plundering expedition amounted around 400 guns and nearly 4.000 men. They arrived in the vicinity of Sta. Cruz on July 17.

At Sta. Cruz, lieutenant general Gutiérrez, a two-time victor over the British, hasted to prepare defence when he learned about he capture of La Mutine. He ordered city batteries and castles to be refortified by doubling their gun rows, which now had increased to 91, and piling earth sacks around. He was able to put together a force of 1.700 men from soldiers, partisans, local hunters, militia, artillery and French sailors from the taken French frigate.

According to Nelson´s plan, Troubridge would lead the first move: the frigates of the fleet should approach as closer as possible and disembark the troops at night in order to fall on the heights and the batteries north east of the city. Then, cannon boat Ray would open mortar fire on the city. At break of dawn, the ships of the line would bear in the harbour and bombard the city to destruction unless the Spanish merchant ships anchored and their cargo either on board or that which had already been carried into the city was handed over to the British, as read the note sent by Nelson to the Spanish authorities.

On the 20th, Troubridge was on board Theseus to sharpen the last details of his duty. The disembark manoeuvre was conceived in two stages. In the first, men would be released at Valle Seco beach, some two miles west of Sta. Cruz harbour, so as to take Paso Alto castle in a surrounding approach. If the city did not surrender after conquering this point, the rest would head for the port and launch the definite attack. Force was over 1.000 men as each ship of the line provided 200 and 100 each frigate, supported by 80 artillerymen. The plan began the next evening. In the clearness of the summer Canary night, citizens realised blurry figures sailing forward into the pier: the British boats, carrying the troops, were on their way. They were two groups: one of 23 boats and launches heading for the Bufadero cliff; the other, 16, coming right into the city. Authorities were updated as adverse streams held the English back. No marine bombardment was likely as ships could not get any closer and even though frigates could, the latter ported naval cannons of straight fire that could not reach the city. The British had just one curve shot mortar which could inflict little damage. They had no howitzer and carronades were of no use in this situation. Spanish cannons began firing heavily on the boats, wrecking some of them. The currents were too strong and the British decided to go back to the ships.

In a second attempt, frigates were tugged by the boats close to the Bufadero, where they anchored. Despite the Paso Alto castle shooting, the contrary streams and the lack of animals to carry the artillery, 1.000 British soldiers stepped on Valle Seco beach with some warfare material. In the middle of the night, some of the boats did not reach the beach and ended up strewn around, as no British officer knew the location.

Along the 23rd a heavy cannonade and musketry took place. Gutiérrez managed to recruit more effectives and station them in the castle, as well as moved the forces from the Sta. Cruz fortress, now unnecessary, on to Paso Alto. The British, who lost two men, were harassed and troubled. Nelson, from the Theseus, called the troops back. Once on board, the three frigates slipped before the Candelaria beach and the Barranco Hondo, firing into the cliffs, intending to frighten and silence the defenders. Once rejected in Valle Seco, Gutiérrez guessed Nelson´s next move and brought most of the artillerymen in the port batteries, leaving just 30 militia men in Paso Alto. The British could not see the Spanish troops trips from one place to another, so they deemed the Spanish force larger than they actually were.

Nelson was between a rock and a hard place. Enraged by the failure of the first stage of his plan, he called his captains on board Theseus and explained how he himself would lead the next move ahead of a boat group followed by 5 more led by captains Troubrige, Miller, Hood, Waller and Thompson straight to the San Cristóbal castle, in Sta. Cruz harbour, where Gutiérrez had by now assembled his best trained fighters.

In order to reduce the noise, cloth-padded rows propelled the boats at 10.30 p.m. on July 24 from around the Zealous into the harbour. Spanish frigate San José, anchored 500 metres away from the pier, fired an alarm shot when sailors on board heard that the disembark troops were getting closer. Troubled waters were against the British, who amounted 700 in the boats, supported by 180 in cutter Fox and 80 in a Canary sloop taken earlier. Apart from the San Cristóbal castle, which had been pierced open in order to place a low huge 24 pound cannon, general Gutiérrez had split his force in four strategic points: Pila square, Santos stream, Carnicerías beach and Santo Domingo monastery.

At around 23 h. a rain of cannon ball and musket bullet from the batteries of Paso Alto, San Miguel, San Antonio and San Pedro fell on the approaching British who saw some of their ammunition dampened by the waves. Several shots reached the cutter hull. Some of the boats reached the beaches and marines managed to stick a couple of cannons, yet others drifted away. Spanish mortars and cannons focused on the successful sailors and swept them away. Tens of British ripped soldiers were left scattered on the beach. An immense line of fire, ranged from Paso Alto to San Telmo castle, vomited iron on the small vessels. Before midnight cutter Fox was shot dramatically by crossed fire from the heights and sunk and more than half her crew drowned.

The cannon el Tigre, howling from the hole opened in San Cristóbal castle, hit Nelson´s boat and tore off the rear-admiral right arm. Captain Bowen was killed on board his boat, which was reduced to a piece of shattered wood. Those soldiers who succeeded in reaching the beach were bullet riddled also from house terraces and windows. Citizenship was closely involved in repelling the attack to the point that, after the victory, some were given honours and medals. Nelson was bleeding copiously and step-son lieutenant Nisbet cut a piece of his own neck handkerchief and tied it tightly around Nelson´s arm to stop the bloodshed. The admiral refused to use frigate Seahorse, that was stationed close, to be taken back to his flagship, as it would imply captain Fremantle would have to hoist an SOS flag and demoralise the crews. Instead, the sailors of his boat rowed hard back to the Theseus. The surgeon had been warned of the contingency and he got his instruments ready. Nelson was cited saying as he pointed to his right arm “hey doc, I want to get rid of this useless piece of flesh here”. Nelson´s operation was quick and aseptic. The limb was thrown over board, despite the admiral´s wish to keep it.

The batteries increased the cannonade when they noticed that almost half thousand British soldiers managed to tread on the Carnicerías beach and were attempting to slip into the city. Captains Troubridge and Hood, leading 350 men, accomplished the taking of La Consolación convent. However, the rest of the troops were defeated when they tried to jump into the San Cristóbal fortress from behind. Troubridge was aware of his desperate situation with no support from ships or more effectives coming to his aid, but he was still in the mood of joking. An envoy handed Gutierrez a letter from the captain where the Troubridge demanded the surrender of the Spaniards. Gutiérrez, a veteran in fighting British braggarts, returned the mailman answering Troubridge should stop drinking in these situations. In the meantime, the Spanish general ordered the fire on the besieged British to be increased meanwhile he brought more artillerymen to the batteries closer to La Consolación.

The rest of the British forces achieved disembarkation in Las Carnicerías and proceeded through the Santos cliff. Despite the heave fire from the Spanish fortresses, these men succeeded in joining Troubridge after being bottled in Sto. Domingo square.

Gutiérrez had the Canarias battalion blockade the pier so that Troubridge could not make any escape back or any support come in. Two columns headed for the harbour, one behind the Sto. Domingo square in order to hinder the British advance inside the city and the other along the coast. In the morning, convalescent Nelson attempted to reinforce Troubridge by sending 15 boats into the pier. At around 1.00 am, a roaring fire flew over the small squadron. Three of them were sunk with more than 30 drowned, the rest rowed back shocked.

At this time, alcohol had absolutely drained Troubridge´s brain. The arrogant captain sent another message to Gutiérrez through captain Hood, who showed up before the Spanish general with clear symptoms of delirium tremens. The post said that the British would take consideration of the poor Spanish people once the Spanish arms had surrendered to His Majesty soldiers. Gutiérrez, seeing that Troubridge was out of his mind, offered a doctor had Troubridge´s head checked and, if necessary, further treatment at a local hospital. When soberness and judgement finally came down to the British officers, they accepted what was inevitable from the beginning and signed their surrender before the Spanish authorities.

Nelson agreed to take notice of the Spanish victory back to the peninsula and frigate Emeral entered Cádiz in late July. When Jervis learned about the fiasco he got mad at Nelson and his men as Jervis expected the mission to be accomplished. Jervis estimated the Spanish port cities such as Cádiz or Sta. Cruz to be like the Spanish ships of the line that had been beaten hard back in February in a naval battle. Haughtiness and lack of proper material and human resources for an invasion led the British fleet sent against Tenerife to a painful defeat and they never tried to capture any Spanish city again. The Spanish suffered 30 dead and 40 injured. The British 250 dead and 128 wounded. The way back to England was difficult as the British had lost many men and some sails. Gutiérrez supported embarkation by means of two Spanish schooners. The Spanish general allowed the British to leave with their arms and war honours when, in fact, the weapons must have been captured and the men taken prisoners. Courteous letters were exchanged between Nelson and Gutiérrez as a result of the final harmony. Nelson would later told that Tenerife was the most horrible hell he had ever endured, and not only because he had lost his arm.

Politics

Mayors during the present democratic period:

Manuel Hermoso Rojas (1979 - 1987)
José Emilio García Gómez (1987 - 1995)
Miguel Zerolo Aguilar (CC) (current incumbent, since 1995)

Sites of interest

Attractions

Calle de la Noria
Macizo de Anaga
- Igueste de San Andrés
- Taganana
Museo de la Naturaleza y el Hombre
Parque Marítimo César Manrique
Playa de Las Teresitas
Auditorio de Tenerife

Parks and Squares

Parque García Sanabria
Plaza de 25 de julio (de los Patos)
Plaza de España
Plaza de la Candelaria
Plaza del Príncipe
Plaza de Weyler

Commercial areas

Santa Cruz de Tenerife is famous for its commercial stores, which includins zona Centro (Central part) - calles dal Castillo, San José, del Pilar, Viera y Clavijo and more), zona Rambla (Rambla area) 0 rambla de Pulido, calle Ramón y Cajal and more) and the commercian centres and great in Avenida de 3 Mayo and the big malls in Añaza .

Nightlife

Santa Cruz is characterized for its nightlife consisting of discotheques and pubs in the Marina park named after César Manrique, Avenida 3 de mayo and Residencial Anaga, as well as pubs in La Noria street and surroundings.

Hotels

Hotel Mencey *****
Hotel Atlántida ****
Hotel Escuela Santa Cruz de Tenerife ****
Hotel Contemporáneo ***
Hotel Príncipe Paz ***
Hotel Taburiente ***
Hotel Pelinor **
Hotel Plaza ***

Persons

Adán Martín Menis, the current president of the Canary Islands since 2003

Sister cities

San Antonio, Texas, USA ^*

References

“La derrota de Nelson, el manco de Tenerife” by Julio Albert Ferrero, Naval History review, 1998, Juan Arencibia, Vicente Mira Gutiérrez, Editorial Leoncio Rodríguez, Julio N. Rancel, Regional Military Museum of Canarias at Sta. Cruz de Tenerife.

External links

Santa Cruz de Tenerife Townhall (in Spanish)
Robert Blake's attack (in Spanish)
John Genings' attack (in Spanish)
Map and aerial photos
- Street map: Street map from Mapquest, MapPoint or Google
- Satellite images: Google
Coordinates:

North: Atlantic Ocean

West: San Cristóbal de La Laguna

Santa Cruz de Tenerife

East: Atlantic Ocean

Southwest: El Rosario

South: El Rosario

Coastal cities | Municipalities in Santa Cruz de Tenerife | Santa Cruz de Tenerife province | Port cities

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