Castillo de San Cristóbal: A Coastal Fortification in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Site at a Glance
- Popularity
- Medium
- Country
- Spain
- Primary era
- Early Modern
- Eras represented
- Early Modern
- Civilizations
- Crown of Castile, Spanish
- Site type
- Military
- Remains
- Tower
On this page4 sections
History
Castillo de San Cristóbal is a coastal fortification in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain. Governor Diego Melgarejo built the tower in 1578 as part of a city defense program promoted by King Philip II. It belongs to a group of similarly constructed coastal fortifications across the Canary Islands, including the castles of Gando, San Andrés, El Cotillo and Caleta de Fuste, as well as Torre del Águila.
Attacks and rebuilding
Attacks on the city damaged the tower in 1595, when it was led by Francis Drake, an English naval commander and privateer, and again in 1599 during an assault led by the Dutch admiral Pieter van der Does. The tower was rebuilt in 1638.
Military service and protection
In 1848, engineer Nicolás de Clavijo y Pló prepared a report outlining repairs needed at the tower. It remained in military use until 1878, when authorities ordered its artillery removed. Restoration work took place in 1999. The tower is protected under the decree of 22 April 1949 and the 1985 Spanish Historical Heritage Law. It is also an Asset of Cultural Interest, a formal Spanish designation for protected cultural property.
Remains
The tower has a circular form and is made of stone and mortar, with a surface area of 219.04 m². It stands on a large rock off the eastern coast, in the San Cristóbal fishing neighborhood. The rock was coated with mortar, shaping the structure’s present form and leaving little interior space. The tower is in good condition.
