The Castle of St John the Baptist, also called the Black Castle, is a circular fort in
Santa Cruz de Tenerife in the
Canary Islands. It is located in the heart of the city, near the
Parque Marítimo César Manrique and behind the
Auditorio de Tenerife. Construction began in 1641 and was completed in 1644. The structure was later rebuilt in 1765 with the addition of a cylindrical tower facing the sea. It served as a military fort until 1924 and was converted to a military museum in 1948. A re-enactment of the
Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife takes place annually at the castle, commemorating the unsuccessful attempt by the British admiral
Horatio Nelson to invade the city and archipelago on 25 July 1797.Photograph credit:
Thomas Wolf
The Castle of St John the Baptist, also called the Black Castle, is a circular fort in
Santa Cruz de Tenerife in the
Canary Islands. It is located in the heart of the city, near the
Parque Marítimo César Manrique and behind the
Auditorio de Tenerife. Construction began in 1641 and was completed in 1644. The structure was later rebuilt in 1765 with the addition of a cylindrical tower facing the sea. It served as a military fort until 1924 and was converted to a military museum in 1948. A re-enactment of the
Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife takes place annually at the castle, commemorating the unsuccessful attempt by the British admiral
Horatio Nelson to invade the city and archipelago on 25 July 1797.Photograph credit:
Thomas Wolf