Castle of St John the Baptist



The Castle of St John the Baptist (Castillo de San Juan Bautista), also called Black Castle (Castillo Negro), in the city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife in the Canary Islands of Spain, was the second most important fort in the defense of Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

It is located in the heart of the capital near the Parque Marítimo César Manrique and behind the Auditorio de Tenerife. Its construction was started in 1641 and completed in 1644. It was later rebuilt in 1765 with the addition of a cylindrical tower facing the sea. It served as a military fort until 1924. It was converted to a military museum in 1948.

Each year in July a re-enactment of the Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife of 25 July takes place, which commemorates the unsuccessful attempt by the British Admiral Horatio Nelson to invade the city and the archipelago.