One of our excursions took us to San Cristóbal de La Laguna. The city was founded in 1496 after the conquest of the islands by Spain. It served as the capital of the Canary Islands until in 1723 it was transfered to nearby Santa Cruz at the coast.
Where now the city stands, was once a lagune or lake and the land belonged to one of the nine Guanche kingdoms, the inhabitants of Tenerife.
The historic center is an UNESCO World Heritage Site and the layout of the city resembles that of many Spanish colonial cities in the Americas, as the urban plan of La Laguna served as a model where the Spanish founded towns in the new world.
The Palace House of the Salazar de Frías Family is one of the architectural highlights of the the city. Today it serves as the bishop’s palace of the Diocese of Tenerife and only some rooms can be visited.
The origins of the former monastery of San Agustín date back to the early 16th century, when Alonso Fernández de Lugo, rewarded the Order of Saint Augustine for accompanying him in the conquest and colonisation of the island.
The monastery served as a place for eduacation, housing a university and a school over the centuries until the monastery was closed in 1836. Today, the building boasts one of the most beautiful Renaissance courtyards that still conveys its original impression. The church was destroyed by fire in 1964 and only the outer wall still stands.
We found La Laguna to be a lovely city, that would deserve more time, to get to know it better. The patios of the many beautiful houses in particular gave an impression of how the gentry used to live in the islands’ capital.