Abades
Abades is a place on the southeast coast of Tenerife in the municipality of Arico , between Poris de Abona and La Jaca , which was originally founded as a leprosy station .
history
Leprosy was recognized late as a serious disease on the island. The first leprosy station was built in the north of the island, where the majority of the population lived. The corpses were disposed of, until a crematorium was built , by being thrown into the sea near Santa Cruz . In 1943 an entire village, "Sanatorio de Abona", was planned and started as a leprosy station on the hill on Abades. 144,000 pesetas were paid to the owner Don Ramon Peraza y Perez for the area . The contract was signed on February 5, 1944 at the notary Lorenzo Martinez Fuset. In the village there is a hospital , a crematorium, many bungalows , administrative buildings with a sea view, and a church in the Franco- typical style with a large cross on the top, which can be seen from very far away, especially from the highway .
With new treatment methods, leprosy was almost completely eradicated on the Canary Islands, and this project never ended. Up to that point about 11 million pesetas had been invested. Today it resembles a ghost town. The leprosy station was declared a military area and was used by the 49th Infantry Regiment Tenerife for urban warfare training until the year 2000 . In 2002 the entire area was sold to Italian investors.
The church is still in good condition and devotees of St. Lazarus , the patron saint of lepers, regularly decorate the altar area with fresh flowers. Abades is the result of a relatively new development: former villages are located in the mountains. There it was much easier to get to water through the forests, and in some cases deep tunnels were driven into the mountain in order to extract the precious goods. The former main road has since connected all the villages.
1978, with the opening of Reina Sofia Airport and connection via the TF-1 motorway , was an important year for development in the area. The place "Los Abriguitos" (The small accommodations) was founded below the leprosy station "Sanatorio de Abona", and many simple wooden huts were built to accommodate local "tourists", i.e. the locals from the mountains who wanted to spend the weekend by the sea accommodate. In 1986 the Abades project was started. All wooden huts fell victim to a planned mass burning and a massive stone wall was built by the sea. In 1987 the chapel was built. In 1988 the motorway exit 18 got its current shape, and in 1993 roads were paved and the tennis court and the small park were completed.
Name development
- Leprosy station: Sanatorio de Abona
- 1978–1986: Los Abriguitos
- Since 1986: Abades
population
A large part of the more than 760 small white bungalows is owned by Tinerfeños, the natives of Tenerife, who prefer the more humid north due to the forests. Others are owned by German tourists . Many of these bungalows are available as rental properties, both on a daily basis and for long-term vacationers. The construction of most of the bungalows is very similar.
tourism
Abades is a very quiet place in the winter months, but becomes a focal point for locals on warm weekends and during the holiday season. Several bars and restaurants are located in the small center in the immediate vicinity of the beach , as well as several shops and a diving school . In the already completed new complex at the west end of the village, an expansion of the gastronomic and tourist infrastructure is planned. Access to the beach is handicapped accessible. A small adjacent bay is used as a nudist area . On the coast north of Abades is the Faro de Punta Abona lighthouse , which is 39 meters high and is clearly visible from the town.
Transport links
The TF-1 motorway is the only way to get there. Bus route 111 connects Abades with the Los Cristianos - Las Américas area in one direction and with Santa Cruz in the opposite direction. Other bus routes are the 115 to Las Galletas , the 116 to El Médano , and the 341 to the south airport.
swell
- Domingo Martínez de la Peña y Gonzales: Historia de Arico . 1st edition. 1991, ISBN 84-606-0134-X (Spanish).
- Ayuntamiento de Villa de Arico: De Los Abriguitos a Abades. (DVD).
Web links
Main islands: Fuerteventura | Gran Canaria | La Gomera | La Graciosa | El Hierro | Lanzarote | La Palma | Tenerife
Secondary islands: Lobos | Roque de Garachico | Chinijo Archipelago ( Alegranza | Montaña Clara | Roque del Este | Roque del Oeste )
Coordinates: 28 ° 9 ′ N , 16 ° 27 ′ W