Castillo de San Juan Bautista: The Black Castle of Tenerife

The Castle of St John the Baptist (Castillo de San Juan Bautista), also known as the Black Castle, is a fort on the island of Tenerife in the Canary Islands of Spain. It is located in the heart of the capital near the Parque Marítimo César Manrique and behind the Auditorio de Tenerife. Construction on the fortress began in 1641 and was completed in 1644. It was later rebuilt in 1765 with the addition of a cylindrical tower facing the sea. The structure served as a military fort until 1924 and was converted to a military museum in 1948.

In 1684, Charles II of Spain gave the power to appoint the warden of the castle to the Cabildo de Tenerife, the island's governing body. This appointment was highly coveted by the island's nobility as a way to prove their noble status for joining the military or the maestranza de caballería. The position carried many privileges, including responsibility for health, the port police, and granting permits for ship entry and exit. The warden also charged the right to fish, mediated between fishermen and townsfolk, and collected tariffs on salt and flour.

Today, the fort hosts an annual re-enactment of the Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. This event commemorates the unsuccessful attempt by British admiral Horatio Nelson to invade the city and the archipelago on 25 July 1797.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons