Sights in Santa Cruz De Tenerife
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Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Concepción
The city's oldest church, Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Concepción, has a striking bell tower, tiled roof and some traditional mudéjar (Islamic-style architecture) ceiling work. The present church was built in the 17th and 18th centuries but the original building went up in 1498, just after the island was conquered.
At the heart of the shimmering silver altar is the Santa Cruz de la Conquista (Holy Cross of the Conquest), which gives the city its name. Tradition has it that Alonso Fernández de Lugo, the Spanish commander, planted it in his camp to give thanks for his 1494 victory over the Guanches.
Check out the anteroom to the sacristy. The altarpiece in the chapel …
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Museo Militar de Almeyda
Museo Militar de Almeyda explains the military history of the islands. The most famous item here is El Tigre (The Tiger), the cannon that reputedly blew off Admiral Nelson's arm when he attacked Santa Cruz in 1797. Much of the museum is devoted to the successful defence of the city, brought alive by a superb 30m scale model of the flagship Theseus.
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Museo de la Naturaleza y El Hombre
Museo de la Naturaleza y El Hombre is a brain-bending amalgam of natural science and archaeology in a former civil hospital. It has several fascinating Guanche mummies and skulls, a handful of artefacts, including pottery, and well-presented facts and figures about volcanoes and the flora and fauna of the islands. There's also a café and gift shop.
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Castillo de San Juan
A short walk along the waterfront southwest of the city brings you to the 17th-century Castillo de San Juan. In the shadow of this protective fort there used to be a lively trade in African slaves. Nowadays its squat, rectangular basalt form is overshadowed by the magnificent, soaring white wave of the Auditorio de Tenerife.
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Auditorio de Tenerife
Designed by the internationally renowned Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava and possessing a Sydney Opera House presence, as well as superb acoustics, the Auditorio de Tenerife covers and significantly enhances a 2 hectare oceanfront site. The auditorium hosts opera, dance and classical-music performances, among others.
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Teatro Guimerá
Three blocks southwest of Calle Castillo is the 19th-century Teatro Guimerá, fronted by a suitably theatrical giant mask sculpture. The sumptuous interior is reminiscent of Madrid's Teatro Real, with semicircular balconied seating and plenty of gilt.
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Plaza Iglesia
The formerly seedy Plaza Iglesia has been tarted up and is now home to a couple of fashionable bars and brightly painted buildings. Look for the striking bell tower of the city's oldest church, the Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Concepción.
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Museo de Bellas Artes
Museo de Bellas Artes is home to an eclectic mix of paintings by mainly Spanish, Canarian and Flemish artists, including Ribera, Sorolla and Brueghel. There's also sculpture, including a Rodin, and temporary exhibitions.
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Centro de Arte La Recova
The Centro de Arte La Recova is housed in a former market, which makes for an interesting gallery space for the temporary exhibitions of contemporary Canarian and mainland-Spanish artists.
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Plaza España
Start your walking tour of the city at waterfront Plaza España. Look out for its controversial centrepiece: a memorial to the fallen of the 1936-39 civil war.
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