Tegueste

Tegueste is a municipality belonging to the Spanish province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. (Located in the northeast of the island).

It has an area of 26.41 km ² and a population of 10,613 inhabitants (INE, January 2008). Its altitude is 390 meters above sea level. Nestled in the valley between Tegueste and El Socorro, it is the only city surrounded by another municipality, San Cristobal de La Laguna, which gained independence in the seventeenth century.

The current Tegueste villa is named after one of the nine menceyatos Guanches called Tegueste and occupies the most recent extension of the municipality other coastal enclaves such as Valle de Guerra, and Tejina Bajamar. This population has a remarkable farming tradition. Crops are the most represented through a variety of potatoes and vines.

It’s location is close to Santa Cruz and La Laguna and is located in the metropolitan area of Tenerife. Much of the inhabitants of Tegueste go to work in those two municipalities. This has led to a significant increase in population in recent years.

Tegueste helmet is in the vicinity of St. Mark’s Square where the church stands of the same name, and dates from 1530 and was rebuilt in 1700.  Also in the square is the town hall. The neighborhood of El Socorro has a beautiful chapel dated from the sixteenth century, which has been rebuilt. Traditional architecture is well preserved in neighborhoods like Padilla, Pedro Alvarez and San Luis and El Palomar. Above these two districts is Lomo de Pedro Alvarez, a forest-heath belonging to the Rural Park of Anaga.

The most important festival is the pilgrimage of San Marcos Evangelista (patron of the harvest) which is celebrated on the Sunday closest to April 25. It is among the most prominent and traditional on the island, especially the celebration of it’s ships that travel the roads and streets decorated with handicrafts from the land and seas.

On April 18 1996, the Ministry of Institutional Relations of the Presidency and Government of the Canary Islands granted the municipality of Villa Tegueste.