History Tenerife Los Realejos facts and fiction

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History Tenerife tells the following story about an event that took place in 1706. It was the time of the Trevejo Mount Teide eruption.

The Trevejo which is often called the black mountain (Montaña negra) is beside Tenerife Mount Teide. It started spitting fire and enormous amounts of Lava in the early hours of May 5th.

We know by history of Tenerife by Wikipedia that Lava started pouring down from the mountains above Garachico.

It destroyed the rich town and its port, which was the most important for Tenerife trade in that period.
It's said that people had enough time to get away safely. This biggest Tenerife volcanic eruption went on
for 40 days.

A legend on the history Tenerife told by the elderly people in North Tenerife reports that Garachico inhabitants without family
and friends in other parts of the volcanic Tenerife island took shelter in a gorge (barranco).

The gorge belongs to a suburb of Los Realejos called Romantica 1, 10 driving minutes from so called El Puerto Cruz in the North of Tenerife. It's said that many stayed on in the ravine of the tall ruin which is still there. It looks like it was once a handsome Roman building.

However, this cannot have been the same ruin which you see today. What you see now was built at the beginning of 1900 to house water pumps, I learned later.

What is amazing is the style and appearance of the deteriorated building, which lets everybody believe it could be more than 300 years old.

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The mural at the end of the open building is faded out but, still visible. It´s simply a little detail of History Tenerife.

The lush gorge is used by local shepherds to graze their goats. Possibly, the Garachico fugitives brought goats with them as well.

About 350 well preserved stone steps wind deep down to the roofless ruin. History of Tenerife seldom reports on dilapidated buildings. Perhaps, a structure that was there before helped to save lives. A fountain next to it still provides water, today. In fact a new water house next to it has been built by the municipality to honor the location.

A lovely viewpoint above this Tenerife ruin of Los Realejos leads our eyes along the rugged green coast as far as San Juan de la Rambla.

Battle of Acentejo and Mencey (King) Bentor

History Tenerife tells that Mencey King Bentor of the Guanches son of the Mencey King Bencomo who lost his life at the great battle of Acentejo in the second war of the conquest in 1496 had taken over from his father and retreated with two allies to his own main territory at Taoro in the Orotava Valley.

The Castille conqueror  the Adelantado De Lugo and his troops with the dreaded cavalry went in pursuit.

Anyway, the whole of the area Los Realejos is said to have been swarmed by Spanish soldiers. The latter set up their little military camps called Realejos in Spanish, there. It came to the last battle. The Guanches defeated themselves very bravely with, sticks and stones.

However, history also reports that many Guanches had died of illness or, were frail at that time because, of a 'relatively strange virus' (?) the Spaniards had brought with them who in their turn were more immune.

Spanish soldiers called it the Guanche drowsiness.

Annexation of Tenerife at Los Realejos

Los Realejos was the place where the Guanches were defeated and where the annexation of Tinerfe (Tenerife) to the Crown of Spain Queen Isabel and Don King Fernando was announced.

The proclamation was repeated with much 'pathos' three times.

Mencey Bentor dies at Tigaiga cliffs

Coming back to the spot on the photo I may remember that those show the cliffs of Tigaiga were Mencey (King) Bentor son of Mencey Bencomo threw himself into death in the sea. Icod el Alto the country village claims that the look-out El Lance which is 500m above the sea was the spot where the Guanche leader jumped. A statue of him is there. Anyway, the Mirador El Lance is higher up but it's part of Tigaiga.

King Bentor took his life out of rage, shame and resignation to have lost a country (guañac) and a people. The last words he screamed were Achamán, Achamán.(God) So goes the legend. He died as a free man.

See an areal photo of the exact region Los Realejos with Tigaiga... By the way, the cliffs of the gorge are similar to those in the gorge Barranco Romantica 1 image.

The name Bencomo or Benchomo has survived as name in Tenerife society.

You even find it in the main telephone book.

Links related to history Tenerife of La Romantica Realejos

All about Realejos town and its municipality. This page has links to the Camino Real Kings highway which is the historic road of Realejos. Find links to Icod el Alto which in turn includes information on surviving Guanches, their folk dances, the historic halfway house Finca de la Pared as well as the potato history.

Spanish history Realejos

This article also has a link regarding the conqueror's ancient farm Hacienda de los Principes which still exists in Los Realejos.

Review by a shopping trip of historic Garachico .

Main history page for Tenerife with most important links

From history Tenerife back to history of Tenerife general guide

The total Tenerife history almanach gives you important historical links, such as on the Guanche cavemen culture and the Black Madonna of Candelaria, on the important history of El Puerto Puerto de la Cruz whose community achieved so much and where archelogical sites of the town are listed. Not to forget a link to the page on the victory over Horatio Nelson which is of immense psycologycal importance for the capital and the island of Tenerife..

Accommodation

with history around.

Reach this healthy, magnificent neighborhood with nature reserve, surf beaches and more a few meters from this Tenerife accommodation by Puerto de la Cruz and follow in the footsteps of history Tenerife...

Sorry, this property cannot be led out as a holiday home for time being.

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