A History Lesson In Tenerife

Do you know the idea that the Canary Islands have Pluto as their father? Well, this is also the case of Tenerife Island, although it is not as old as the other ones. About 20 million years ago in the past, the islands that now occupy the eastern side of Spain started to appear, but Tenerife has its oldest mountain range for just 8 million years.

However, the island originated about 3 million years ago as this is the time when we can really talk about its development. You will find the fact that this side of Spain had three mountain ranges: Valle San Lorenzo, Anaga and Teno. It seems like a great volcanic process produced the melting down of the central volcano and the Cumbre Dorsal Mountain Range; this is how Tenerife appeared.

Interesting details about the island

The Canary Islands never had braver and more feared inhabitants than the Tenerife natives. These natives were known as cavern men and they had different unusual rituals for the islands: they used to put their deceased ones in caves and embalm them. Many mummies were discovered and they now represent an important attraction for tourists.

It is believed that the Guanches were the ones who first arrived on the island; many vestiges come to support the idea, such as the stone that was discovered just a few years ago with the ‘’Z’’, ‘’N’’, and ‘’T’’ letters engraved on its surface. These letters are usually associated with the Berbers but one can only speculate about the true origins and the true Tenerife natives.

The Spaniards

The Spanish conquest was the one that permanently shaped the island and its conformation. Only 500 years ago, the Anaza Bay was assaulted by the famous Alonso Fernandez Lugo, a Spanish conqueror who was in the service of the Royal House. The Royal House ordered the slaughter of the Guanches and even though they managed to resist for many years, they were finally destroyed, as was their culture.

Just a few decades ago, a Renaissance of the origins of the island was started and now even the streets have Guanches names. Now everywhere you look in Tenerife, there is something to remind about its origins. It is the right thing as nobody should forget the way they started their living and nobody should deny the culture and the traditions of their people. Visit the island; it really is a beautiful place in Spain.