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Puerto Cruz will add more to its existing Tenerife culture to boost local happiness, business and tourism.Puerto Cruz culture is and has been priority over the centuries.
Many events were organized in the past through different owners of Hotel Marqueza in Calle Quintana. I was reading up on this and Puerto Cruz history in their booklet called Apuntes para un Centenario 1887- 1987 by Agustin Guimerá Ravina.Men like Alexander von Humboldt, indeed, stayed at this Puerto hotel because he was a guest of great culture.
Puerto has a fable for all art like sculpture, painting, drawings, cinema, photography, pantomime, book readings, literature, poetry, folk music, classic, baroque and of course modern music born locally or in South America. Puerto loves Rock, Jazz and Salsa. It gives puppet shows and invents and hosts new festivals all the time. It has so many besides its carnival not all
Will Puerto Cruz culture ever be enough? Hot news are that it will finally soon have a new center of culture for its community as well as for tourism.
On March 07, 2008 this, was published by the Spanish Media. Casa Ventoso and its separate tower will be finally added as historical buildings for better public use such as culture.
The idea is not new. The town has been trying to buy the 1900m2 large Casa Ventoso built for a captain in the early XVIII for many years. The photo beside also shows on the horizon the towering former casino and Hotel Taoro (at about 110 meters above Casa Ventoso) a hotel which played a big role in late 19th and early 20th century Tenerife culture as reported also in Taoro Park as well as in page Puerto de la Cruz. Casa Ventoso of Puerto Cruz which has been owned by the bishop of Tenerife for many years was housing a college for the Augustin Order. Untraceable title deeds are said to have been the reason for complicating the sale to the town hall for the people of Puerto Cruz.
Culture Plan Horizonte 2020 worth millions of Euros:The mayor of Puerto de la Cruz Dolores Padron has now received the grants of EU 200 000 at extremely low credit rates for renovating it as reported,, here. This was announced together with funding for 16 plans. (total grant 1 Million 1760 Euros from now until year 2012)All this happened in the town hall in the presence of General Secretary of tourism Amparo Fernandez, general Secretary of Tourism and Vice President of Cabildo Tenerife Manuel Bermuda. It's part of the plan Horizonte 2020 Spain whose idea is to further culture, tourism and, business in the whole region. Previous Plan de excelente Turistica to uplift tourism by culture:
Surprising is that nobody in Government thought of a face lift for Casa Iriarte the museum in dire need of restorations right opposite Casa Ventoso in Calle Iriarte. It's also a symbol of culture Puerto de la Cruz. More on this below... Now, back to the plan of culture and tourism up-liftment called 'Plan de excelente Turistica', before. It entailed 5 Million GBP for the entire La Orotava Valley where Puerto de la Cruz is part of. For example, many high way turn offs as well as high way road sides were manicured with fountains surrounded by landscaping most of which are specially lit up at night. One by Mall La Villa Alcampo and one by La Orotava near TF5 turn off are the most recent and beautiful fountains around Puerto de la Cruz. A great part of the new features were there when I came to Tenerife in 2001 with the exception of the parking grounds and change rooms at Socorrow beach which followed soon. Contrary to the plan, Taoro Casino was never improved. Shifting it to below the natural swimming pools of 'Puerto' was decided instead and taken on in 2004. Culture In Puerto Cruz grew and grows with time like in the famous saying about Rome, you know... All this planned culture at Casa Ventoso used to happen only in Puerto Cruz houses of the rich in earlier centuries but, the town always valued it much.
In 1812 the Declaration of Liberty was signed in tower Ventoso.. In 1990 the tower was well renovated and will be opened for tourism and culture in the very next future as was affirmed early in 2008, in Puerto de la Cruz. Church of San Francisco and San Juan is symbol of art and culture: (built 1599)
Famous altar of Church San Francisco which is oldest Puerto Cruz building is in Calle Quintana. Today it's used by different congregations of different EU nationalities, hence for tourism and culture. It has 16th century art as well as later added on treasures. Calle Quintana
Casa de la Aduana
Casa de la Aduana was built in 1620 by the Franchie family for the Battery Santa Barbara 1707 it became Royal Custom house. Harbour Puerto de la Cruz Today: offices of Tourist information to promote Tenerife culture. A tribute monument to Puerto's Fish wife women has been erected in 2008 a few meters from it. Passers-by look at the dark sculpture in astonishment. Women are often forgotten as base for a thriving economy without which no culture in Puerto Cruz would have been possible.
Perhaps, we may also thank our female Mayor working woman Lola Padrón for the tribute to women.
Castle San FelipeCastle San Felipe was built built 1630-1644.Playa Jardin/ Punta Brava Past use of it was to fend off pirates which were a threat for merchants and Puerto Cruz ships. Nowadays, occasional concerts are held in it to promote local musicians. Occasional international art exhibitions.
Church Nuestra Señora de Peña de Francia
Iglesa Peña de Francia was built in 1684 and its tower in 1898. The church 'Pena de Francia' is used for mass and nowadays also for selected classical local or international concerts. Please note, that a small part of the church contains sort of a chapel called after Saint Patrick of Emerald Isle which was built in for the many Puerto resident Irish merchants which helped greatly with the towns rising success in commerce and, of course, with culture.
Church San Telmo
San Telmo church was built in 1780 by a group of merchants.
Former homes where much of Puerto de la Cruz culture was taking place by ways of concerts, art and literature: |
Part of Casa Ventoso is
Hotel Marquesa is one of oldest Tenerife buildings
