Los Realejos
| Los Realejos municipality | |||
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| coat of arms | Map of the Canary Islands | ||
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| Basic data | |||
| Autonomous Community : | Canary Islands | ||
| Province : | Santa Cruz de Tenerife | ||
| Island: | Tenerife | ||
| Coordinates | 28 ° 22 ′ N , 16 ° 37 ′ W | ||
| Height : | 420 msnm | ||
| Area : | 57.78 km² | ||
| Residents : | 36,402 (Jan 1, 2019) | ||
| Population density : | 630.01 inhabitants / km² | ||
| Postal code : | E-38410 | ||
| Municipality number ( INE ): | 38031 | ||
| administration | |||
| Mayor : | Manuel Domínguez González ( PP ) (as of 2012) | ||
| Address of the municipal administration: | Plaza de la Unión, s / n 38410 - Los Realejos |
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| Website : | www.ayto-realejos.es | ||
| Location of the municipality | |||
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Los Realejos is a city on the Canary Island of Tenerife with 36,402 inhabitants (as of January 1, 2019). Los Realejos is connected to Santa Cruz de Tenerife by the TF-5 northern motorway . Los Realejos is located west-southwest of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and on the north coast. Neighboring communities are Puerto de la Cruz in the northeast, La Orotava in the east and south and San Juan de la Rambla in the west.
The municipality of Los Realejos has an area of 57.78 km² at an average altitude of 420 m above sea level.
climate
The climate of Los Realejos, like the rest of the island, is influenced by the trade winds blowing from the north, which are cool and humid and blow 80% of all days in summer and 50% of all days in winter. These winds are the cause of the constant temperatures, which are unusual for these latitudes, with small differences between day and night. They ensure mild winters and fresh summers, hence the expression "island of eternal spring".
history
After the battle of Aguere , which was victorious for the Castilians , the troops crossed the territory of the Mencey of Taoro without encountering any significant resistance. At the western end of the Orotava Valley they set up an army camp ( Spanish real ). The area has been called Realejo since that time. From this strategic point, some light cavalry advances were made to detect movement in the area and determine the size of the opposing forces. On December 24th, 1495, the Castilians discovered a concentration of opposing troops near the area where the 1st Battle of Acentejo had taken place. On Christmas Day 1495, the 2nd Battle of Acentejo took place near today's city of La Victoria . The Castilians did not allow themselves to be ambushed. According to eyewitness reports, it was a skirmish with no incidents worth mentioning, except that both sides were dealt with with extreme brutality. After fighting for much of the day, the Castilians won. They withdrew to their camp in Realejo and began to develop it into a permanent settlement. The construction of a church began with Santiago el Mayor as its patron saint. On February 15, 1496 the troops were released. Only the people who were waiting for land allotments to settle permanently on the island remained. In May 1496 (officially on July 25, 1496) the Menceyes of Tegueste, Tacoronte, Icod and Daute surrendered in a celebration staged by the Castilians in the field camp of Realejo.
The two localities, Realejo Alto or De Arriba and Realejo Bajo, have formed a single body under the jurisdiction of La Laguna since they were founded on the basis of the annexation of Tenerife to Spain at the end of the 15th century . In the 19th century, the decree of the Cortes of Cádiz of May 23, 1812 was invoked and it was divided into two parishes, the parish boundaries and the board established in 1778. This created two communities, Realejo Alto and Realejo Bajo.
Finally, on March 18, 1952, it was agreed - at that time Nicolás González del Carmen was mayor of Realejo Alto and Oscar González Siverio was mayor of Realejo Bajo - to initiate the legal merger through paragraph b) Article 13 of the “Ley de Régimen Local” of December 16, 1950, and to submit the motion for its resolution to the Council of Ministers. So on January 6, 1955, the decree of December 23, 1954 appeared in the BOE, according to which the two municipalities should officially merge into one with the name Los Realejos.
The Iglesia de la Concepción in Realejo Bajo burned down completely on November 5, 1978.
Fires in the 19th and 20th centuries destroyed some architecturally interesting buildings that had been built during the 17th and 18th centuries, such as the San Juan Bautista Monastery of the Augustinian Order in 1806, the Santa Lucia Monastery of the Franciscan Order in 1865, the San Andrés Monastery and the Santa Monica Monastery of the Augustinian Order in 1952 and the Church of Nuestra Señora de la Concepción in 1978.
Today the historical and artistic heritage of Los Realejos is mainly concentrated in the churches, of which the Church of the Apostle Santiago stands out, the first church in Tenerife, started in 1496. Like the La Concepción Church, it has been declared a National Historic Monument. Furthermore, some chapels and haciendas deserve special mention, a large number of which are located in the coastal area of the municipality, known as Ramblas del Mar, Ramblas de Babón and Ramblas de Castro.
Traditions and festivals
Many festivals are traditionally celebrated in Los Realejos, almost 80 a year. One example is the carnival, which is popular all over the island . Easter had a different meaning in the past. First of all, it was a social meeting place. The elderly remember the quiet and inner seclusion of the participants in the processions and the outward mourning demanded by the orders. This circumstance made the souls overflow on the day of the resurrection, "La Pascua Florida", and even bird cages were brought to the churches, which accompanied the hallelujahs and the ringing of bells with their trills, in an atmosphere filled with flowers and incense.
Several unique Los Realejos traditions take place in May. One of the oldest festivals is “La Invención de la Cruz”, which was brought into being by Bishop Muros shortly after the end of the conquest (1496); a liturgical feast, which soon had various solemn components such as dance, campfire (today it is fireworks), branches of leaves, arches made from the fruits of the land, festive walks, etc.
Over time, the festivities have developed considerably, so that more and more crosses that stand on the paths, chapels and private houses, especially in the La Cruz Santa district, are entwined with branches, while those celebratory bonfires from ancient times are at the height of the Celebration: into a grandiose fireworks display on the 3rd of the month, at the beginning of the procession, in which two streets, La Calle del Medio and La Calle del Sol, compete with each other in their grandeur and spectacularity of their fires, not to mention the decoration of their chapels .
After the Fiesta de la Cruz, the festival of San Isidro Labrador takes place, which had begun to awaken the devotion of the farmers of this area since the 17th century. The Romería Regional was celebrated as early as the 20th century and is promoted nationally because of its tourist interest.
The meeting point in July is El Santuario del Carmen in the town of San Agustín, and the characteristic note of this festival is the procession from La Orotava , which is accompanied by the sailors from Puerto de la Cruz , to cheers for their patroness, loud and also angry for the completely calm participants, but basically very loving, despite the violent surge of calls. Every corner of Los Realejos celebrates in August and September. Each district decorates its surroundings and the residents gather for common prayer and excitement.
The festival calendar of Los Realejos culminates in the traditional celebrations of the Pascua between Christmas and Epiphany. Another part of the Los Realejos Christmas celebrations are the “Belenes Vivientes” (Living Nativity scenes), especially in Tigaiga. The entire congregation takes part and turns Christmas Eve into an immeasurably large scenario in which the biblical places are evoked in which the story of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth took place.
Viewpoints
The “Mirador de La Corona” is located at the Ladera de Tigaiga . ( ⊙ ). It can be reached via the Icod el Alto district and the TF-342 side road. From there you can see the whole Orotava valley and the northeast of the island.
A little further down the access road to Icod el Alto is the Mirador de El Lance viewpoint ( ⊙ ). Legend has it that the Guanche King Bentor, who preferred to die than to endure the humiliation of being enslaved by the cruel conquerors, threw himself to his death there. According to the "Plan de Excelencia Turística" a leisure zone was created here. On the coast, near the village of San Vicente, there is the Mirador de San Pedro, from where you can see the lush palm grove of La Rambla de Castro and the green of the banana plantations of La Rambla del Mar, the haciendas with their whitewashed walls and beautiful roofs.
At the Mirador de La Grimona, you can see the beach of the same name as well as the coast of Socorro and La Punta del Guindaste.
Craftsmanship
Los Realejos is known for its craftsmanship, because in the past ornate belts, stockings and fabrics made of silk were made here.
Between the different productions, basketry took up the largest share of the market, as products such as wicker baskets and vegetable containers and chestnut sticks were sold all over the island.
The embroidery art of this community is best known. At the beginning of the last century, an estimated one third of the island's production was covered by the workshops in Los Realejos, with the English market being the main destination.
Today other handicrafts from Los Realejos enjoy a high reputation. Pyrotechnics and fireworks are represented by a 200-year-old family business, the Toste brothers. They have already won many prizes at the most prestigious national and international trade fairs and competitions.
The products of the local pastry shops are also consumed in many households on Tenerife, especially at Christmas time.
Leisure zones
Los Realejos has four leisure zones.
In the upper zone of the villages of Palo Blanco and Las Llanadas, on the natural border between the tree formations of the Fayal Brezal and the Canarian pine forest, there is the leisure and recreation area Chanajija, which can be reached within half an hour by car from the main town .
The La Higuerita leisure area is located in the heart of the Orotava Valley . The Barranco Ruiz leisure area on the border with the municipality of San Juan de la Rambla presents a unique view of a ravine that has been declared a place of scientific interest.
There is also the Emilio Fernández Muñoz nature auditorium . This is located in a pine forest near Las Cañadas del Teide .
Tourist routes
Linking the bays and beaches on the cliffs of Los Realejos to the border with the municipality of San Juan de la Rambla by means of a tourist path was one of the most important and at the same time oldest projects of the city administration of this place. The El Agua hiking trail and the Tigaiga hiking trail are of particular tourist interest.
wine growing
The wine from Los Realejos and the entire Orotava Valley has a long history. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the Canaries' first wine-growing center was here. The wines were exported to Great Britain and its colonies, as well as to Germany , the Netherlands and the Spanish countries of South America. They were so widespread that the famous Viera y Clavijo, from Los Realejos, once said that the valley was an immense vine arbor.
The Orotava Valley is one of the most important areas of the Canary Islands for its winemaking tradition and wine production. In this ancient valley, which lies between the Teide and the Atlantic , there are several vineyards, which are divided into large cultivated terraces, which in turn extend from La Orotava to Los Realejos.
Since the founding of the “Consejo Regulador” (Control Council), the wines from the Orotava Valley have been given special value due to their historical tradition and quality. The Consejo Regulador protects the winegrowers and winemakers and guarantees the consumer the originality and quality of the wines from this area. In May there are competitions (“Concursos Local a Granel y Regional de Vinos Blancos Embotellados”), which are officially recognized by the Ministry of Agriculture.
Population statistics
| year | Residents | Population density |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 29,829 | 516.3 inhabitants / km² |
| 1996 | 32,599 | 564.2 inhabitants / km² |
| 2001 | 33,438 | 578.7 inhabitants / km² |
| 2002 | 35,299 | 610.9 inhabitants / km² |
| 2003 | 35,799 | 619.6 inhabitants / km² |
| 2004 | 35,756 | 618.8 inhabitants / km² |
| 2005 | 36,243 | 627.3 inhabitants / km² |
| 2006 | 36,746 | 636.0 inhabitants / km² |
| 2007 | 37,224 | 644.2 inhabitants / km² |
| 2009 | 37,559 | 650.0 inhabitants / km² |
| 2014 | 36,860 | 637.9 inhabitants / km² |
Sons of the city
- José de Viera y Clavijo ( 1731 - 1813 ), polymath, historian
Web links
- Los Realejos website (Spanish)
- ISTAC (Statistical Department of the Regional Government of the Canary Islands)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Cifras oficiales de población resultantes de la revisión del Padrón municipal a 1 de enero . Population statistics from the Instituto Nacional de Estadística (population update).
- ↑ real. In: Diccionario de la lengua española. Real Academia Española, accessed April 15, 2018 (Spanish).
- ↑ Antonio Rumeu de Armas: La Conquista de Tenerife . Ed .: Instituto de Estudios Canarios. 2nd Edition. Instituto de Estudios Canarios, La Laguna 2006, ISBN 84-88366-57-4 , p. 316 ff . (Spanish, hdiecan.org [accessed December 25, 2017]).