Garachico Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Garachico

Flag	Coat of arms

Municipal location in Tenerife

Garachico

Location in Tenerife

Garachico

Location in Canary Islands

Garachico

Location in Spain, Canary Islands

Country

Spain

Autonomous community

Canary Islands

Province

Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Island

Tenerife

Area

• Total

29.28 km² (11.31 sq mi)

Elevation

10 m (30 ft)

Population

(2018)

• Total

4,819

• Density

164.58/km² (426.27/sq mi)

Climate

Csa

Garachico is a town and municipality located on the northern coast of Tenerife. Tenerife is one of the Canary Islands in Spain. Garachico is about 52 kilometers west of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the capital city. It sits right below a very tall cliff, over 500 meters high!

The city of Garachico and its port were started by a banker named Cristóbal de Ponte. He was from Genoa, a city in Italy. He founded Garachico in 1496, after the Spanish took control of Tenerife.

A Fiery Past: The 1706 Volcano Eruption
Garachico Today: A Valued Town
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A Fiery Past: The 1706 Volcano Eruption

On May 5, 1706, a big volcano eruption happened near Garachico. This was a huge event for the town. Before the eruption, Garachico was a very important port. Ships would leave from here carrying famous Malmsey wine and other local products.

However, the eruption lasted for several weeks. Lava flowed down and filled the old bay. This destroyed the port and greatly harmed the town's way of making money. The town itself was also partly destroyed. You might hear stories that the town was completely wiped out, except for a church where people hid. But that's just a myth! The town was damaged, but not totally gone.

Garachico Today: A Valued Town

Garachico has always worked hard to protect its environment. It also cares a lot about its different cultural traditions. Because of this, the Spanish government gave the town a special award. It was called the Gold Medal of Fine Arts. The King of Spain himself presented this award in 1980.