On the morning of May 5th, 1706, a volcanic eruption almost razed the whole town of Garachico.
On the morning of May 5th, 1706, a volcanic eruption almost razed the whole town of Garachico. 7 lava flows buried most of the town, especially the port area, ending a golden era as a commercial seaport, serving as a link between several islands to the Iberian Peninsula and America. The town was founded in 1496 by the Genoese banker Cristóbal de Ponte, and was widely known for the ships that set sail from this port loaded with wine and sugar, motor of progress in the north of the island. After the terrible eruption (which fortunately don’t took any human life) that completely destroyed the dock, all the dealers moved to the nearby village of Puerto de la Cruz, transforming Garachico into a small fishing village.
But it was thanks to these lava flows that the town won land to the sea, creating a whole area of pools that are now the main tourist attraction, and serve as a point of watching “El Roque de Garachico”, a natural islet close to the coast that is protected as a nature reserve in 1987, becouse many migratory birds nest in their steep walls.
1 comment
basterda
Love the location! :)