Taganana

Taganana is a population entity within the municipality of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, on the island of Tenerife in the Canary Islands, Spain. It is administratively part of the district and is officially recognized as a village.Barrios del Distrito de Anaga [Neighborhoods of the Anaga District] (in Spanish) Source: Santa Cruz de Tenerife City CouncilThis village status was approved by the Santa Cruz de Tenerife City Council on October 25, 2013, changing its previous classification as a neighborhood, which both Taganana and San Andrés had held since their annexation to the capital in the 19th century. This decision acknowledged the historical reality of both localities.

It is the most significant settlement within the interior of the Macizo de Anaga. Founded in 1501, it is the third oldest settlement in the massif, following the nearby San AndrésThe first settler and founder of San Andrés was Lope de Salazar in 1498, who received land in the valley during the land distribution. The land grants for Taganana, issued by Alonso Fernández de Lugo, are dated May 16, 1501, considered the founding date of the village. and ,The first land grant for Igueste de San Andrés was awarded to the Gran Canarian conquistador Rodrigo el Cojo in 1499. and one of the oldest on the island. It was also an independent municipality throughout much of the 19th century.

Taganana is home to notable monuments such as the and the . The church houses a significant artistic heritage, including sculptures, paintings, and goldsmith works. The village also preserves a rich architectural heritage of traditional houses and stone wine presses.

The village offers a network of trails for hiking, connecting to , , and , as well as a self-guided route through the village center highlighting its ethnographic values.

The beaches of Tachero and are located here.

Etymology The name Taganana is of Guanche origin, with some scholars linking it to the word anagan, meaning "surrounded by mountains," or tagănan, meaning "ascent" or "slope."

Characteristics Taganana is located in the homonymous valley on the northern slope of the Macizo de Anaga, approximately 15 miles (24 km) from the municipal capital's center. It covers an area of 3.94 square miles (10.21 km2) and sits at an average elevation of 367 feet (112 m) above sea level.

The village comprises several hamlets: Azanos, Bajo Roque, Casas de la Iglesia, Casas del Camino, Cruz Vieja, El Cabezo, El Calvario, El Cardonal, El Chorro, Fajanetas, La Chanca, La Cuestilla, Lomo Blanco, Lomo los Lirios, Los Naranjos, Mazapé, Portugal, Roque de las Bodegas, San Antonio, and Tachero.

The village features a church, several chapels—Saint Catherine in the village center, Saint John the Baptist in Tachero, and Virgin of Charity of Cobre in Azanos—a public square, a medical clinic, a children's playground, a pharmacy dispensary,"The Taganana Hamlet Will Have an Emergency Pharmacy Dispensary After Pharmacy Relocation" Source: El Día, 28/06/2010 / El pago de Taganana contará con un botiquín farmacéutico de urgencia tras el traslado de la farmacia Fuente: El Día, 28/06/2010. a cultural center, a school, a sports facility, and a cemetery. It also has a pier at Roque de las Bodegas Beach, along with bars, restaurants, and small shops.

In its landscape, notable rocky formations known as Los Hombres stand out, consisting of the Roques de Las Ánimas, de Enmedio, Amogoje, and Roque del Valle. Other geological features include the Risco de la Guayosa and the Riscos del Fraile y la Monja. The coastline is dotted with numerous bajas—flat-surfaced rocky outcrops isolated in the sea.

The Monte de Las Vueltas holds significant scientific interest, preserving an excellent example of .

The entire area of Taganana is part of the , and like other villages and hamlets in Anaga, it is included in the biosphere reserve of the Macizo de Anaga, designated by UNESCO in 2015.

Topography The basal unit of Taganana emerges along the northern coast in a crescent-shaped outline—known as the Taganana Arc—possibly formed by greater marine penetration in the central area, which is more easily erodible due to its predominantly volcanic composition. This basal unit, equivalent in age to the fissure basalts of the Macizo de Teno (Upper Miocene), dips southward, opposite to the overlying formations. The high alteration of its materials, its dense network of rocks—formed by basaltic and phonolitic intrusions such as the Roques de Anaga and Roque de Las Ánimas—and the direction of its dip suggest a clear unconformity between this unit and those resting upon it.

Demographics With 521 inhabitants as of 2016, Taganana is the sixth most populous locality in the Anaga District, following San Andrés, , , , and .

+ Population distribution of Taganana (2016) Name Category Population Taganana Principal nucleus 149 Azanos Minor entity 68 Bajo el Roque Minor entity 26 El Cabezo Minor entity 23 El Calvario Minor entity 20 El Cardonal Minor entity 28 Casas del Camino Minor entity 15 La Cuestilla Minor entity 35 Fajanetas Minor entity 18 Lomo Blanco Minor entity 14 Lomo Los Lirios Minor entity 19 Mazapé Minor entity 14 Portugal Minor entity 39 San Antonio Minor entity 47 Tachero 6 TOTAL LOCALIDAD 521

+ Demographic variation of Taganana Year 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Population 668 653 704 688 633 630 642 638 620 592 589 566 559 555 545 528 521

History

The Taganana valley has been inhabited since the Guanche era, as evidenced by numerous archaeological findings, and was part of the Menceyato of Anaga.

Along the trail between Taganana and lies the so-called Piedra de los Guanches, an archaeological site linked to the Guanche mummification practices. This indigenous monument is also known as the Taganana Stone.

Following the conquest of Tenerife in 1496, land distribution began among conquerors and settlers. Taganana was founded in 1501 through one such grant to a group of settlers from Lanzarote and Fuerteventura. However, it was already inhabited shortly after the conquest by these settlers and free Guanches.

Thus, Taganana is one of Tenerife's oldest settlements and the third oldest in the Macizo de Anaga, after San Andrés (founded three years earlier) and (founded two years earlier).

From the 16th century, alongside San Andrés, it was a key hub in Anaga, with its own parish by at least 1505 and a mayor and constable by 1518. Its lands were initially dedicated to sugarcane cultivation, leading to the construction of the Las Vueltas Road to transport the harvest. This road was the massif's most important communication route, linking Taganana to San Cristóbal de La Laguna, then the island's capital, and branching off to connect other valleys like San Andrés, El Bufadero, and Afur.

From the 17th century, the sugarcane trade declined, giving way to intensive viticulture, which remains a defining feature of Taganana today.

In 1813, Taganana became an independent municipality under the Cádiz Constitution but requested annexation to Santa Cruz de Tenerife in 1850 due to financial difficulties. It sought to restore its municipal status in 1859 but was denied. In 1868, a revolutionary council was established, lasting until 1877, when it was permanently annexed to the capital. This history of independence, combined with its isolation until recent times, has fostered a strong village identity among residents.

The former Taganana municipality, corresponding to the Las Nieves parish territory, stretched from the to the Roque de Antequera, separated from the San Andrés Valley municipality by the Anaga ridge. It included the hamlets of , Afur, , , , , and .

After annexation, Taganana retained a local mayor until 1967 and its own justice of the peace and civil registry until 1976.

The first school opened in 1852, with primary education continuing at the Julián Rojas de Vera School.

The 20th century brought improved public services, particularly after the road arrived in 1968. In 1994, Taganana was incorporated into the protected .

In 2006, the Taganana hamlets of and Tachero, along with other coastal Anaga settlements, were declared out of compliance after the Ministry of Environment set the maritime-terrestrial boundary at 328 feet (100 m) from the highest tide mark. These areas await recognition as urban zones by the Coastal Authority.

History of Our Lady of the Snows According to tradition, the statue of the Virgin was found by settler Gregorio Tabordo on the El Cardonal coast during a storm in the 16th century, abandoned by a ship fleeing the weather.

Economy While many residents work in the service sector outside the village, Taganana sustains a subsistence agriculture based on vineyards, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and vegetables. It also offers dining options in the village center and Roque de las Bodegas.

Festivals

The patronal feasts are held on August 5 in honor of Our Lady of the Snows, featuring three processions: the eve with fireworks, the main day at noon, and August 15 (the Octave) at noon. The lowering and raising of the statue from the main ausing a mechanized system, are also poignant events.

Saint Catherine of Alexandria on November 25. During Holy Week, notable events include the Good Friday procession of the Dead Christ and the centuries-old Burning of Judas the night before Easter Sunday.

Transportation The village is accessed via the Taganana Road TF-134.

Public Transport Taganana is served by the following TITSA bus line: LineRouteSchedules946Santa Cruz (Intercambiador) - San Andrés - Taganana - Horario/Línea Taganana features several hiking trails, most certified within the Tenerife Trail Network:General Brochure of the Anaga Rural Park Source: Tenerife Island Council / Folleto general del Parque Rural de Anaga Fuente: Cabildo de Tenerife.

PR-TF 4 Trail El Bailadero - Taganana. / PR-TF 4.1 Trail Branch to Roque de las Bodegas Beach. PR-TF 8 Trail Loop: Afur - Taganana. / Taganana Interpretive Trail. /

Places of Interest

(BIC) (BIC) Beach Monte de Las Vueltas

Gallery

Taganana

Bron en licentie