Santa Cruz & La Laguna
Castillo de San Juan Bautista
cultural property in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
The Castle of St John the Baptist (Spanish: Castillo de San Juan Bautista), also called the Black Castle (Castillo Negro), is a fort on the island of Tenerife in the Canary Islands of Spain. It was the second-most important fort in the defence of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the island's capital.
It is located in the heart of the capital near the Parque Marítimo César Manrique and behind the Auditorio de Tenerife. Its construction was started in 1641 and completed in 1644. It was later rebuilt in 1765 with the addition of a cylindrical tower facing the sea. It served as a military fort until 1924. It was converted to a military museum in 1948.
In 1684, Charles II of Spain gave the power to appoint the castilian, or warden of the castle, to the Cabildo de Tenerife, the island's governing body. This appointment, along with that of the Castle of San Cristóbal, were coveted by the island's nobility as an honour, but also for two important reasons: it was the most important way to prove their noble status, with a view to entering orders, joining the military or the maestranza de caballería (noble militia), and due to the privileges attached to the position: they were in charge of everything related to health, the port police, granting permits for the entry and exit of the ships, they charged the right to fish, they mediated between the conflicts between fishermen and townsfolk, besides taking care of correspondence and collecting tariffs on salt and flour.
A re-enactment of the Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife takes place annually at the fort, in commemoration of the unsuccessful attempt by the British admiral Horatio Nelson to invade the city and the archipelago on 25 July 1797.
Tours & experiences in Castillo de San Juan Bautista
Bookable tickets, tours and activities from our partners.
RECREATIONAL DIVE (certified divers only) : Explore Canarian Sealife
From €95
View →via Viator
Puerto de la Cruz : Tour in Quad al Teide with Photos & Snack Local
From €85
View →via Viator
Booking and payment take place securely with our partner. GoToTene may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Explore nearby
Places close to Castillo de San Juan Bautista, sorted by distance.
Caleta de Negros
Santa Cruz & La Laguna
La Caleta de Negros es una playa de arena volcánica de la ciudad de Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Canarias, España).
Palmetum of Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Santa Cruz & La Laguna
botanical garden in Canary Islands, Spain
Santa Cruz & La Laguna
cultural property in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
Santa Cruz & La Laguna
The Tenerife Arts Space (Spanish: Tenerife Espacio de las Artes, TEA) is a cultural space and building in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Tenerife, Spain.
Instituto Óscar Domínguez
Santa Cruz & La Laguna
El Instituto Óscar Domínguez es un espacio museístico integrado en el Tenerife Espacio de las Artes compuesto por dos salas expositivas de 1250 m² cada una, destinadas a mostrar obras de diferentes artistas de calado reg…
Santa Cruz & La Laguna
Museo de la Naturaleza y Arqueología (MUNA), (English: Museum of Nature and Archeology, formerly Spanish: Museo de Ciencias Naturales, Spanish: Museo de la Naturaleza y el Hombre) is a museum in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, T…
Iglesia de San Sebastián
Santa Cruz & La Laguna
La iglesia de San Sebastián es una iglesia católica ubicada en el barrio del mismo nombre en la ciudad de Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Islas Canarias, España).
Plaza de Europa
Santa Cruz & La Laguna
La plaza de Europa es una de las principales plazas de la ciudad de Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Islas Canarias, España).
.%2520Canarias.%2520Espa%25C3%25B1a.%2520Spain.jpg%3Fwidth%3D1600&w=3840&q=75)
Iglesia de la Concepción
Santa Cruz & La Laguna
church in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain (European Union)
Casa del Carnaval
Santa Cruz & La Laguna
museo dedicado al Carnaval de Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Santa Cruz & La Laguna
Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈsanta ˈkɾuθ ðe teneˈɾife] ; locally [ˈsanta ˈkɾus ðe teneˈɾife]), commonly abbreviated as Santa Cruz, is a city, the capital of the island of Tenerife, Province of Santa C…
Plaza de la Candelaria
Santa Cruz & La Laguna
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.