The old Tobacco Secadero is a patrimonial and architectural jewel of the Historic Village of Granadilla de Abona and of the southern region that beats once again, converted into a great cultural and multipurpose space. Yesterday this property was inaugurated, which has been an Asset of Cultural Interest since 2008, and which has been the subject of a comprehensive remodeling project in which a budget of 455,995.06 euros has been invested.
The inaugural act was chaired by the mayor, José Domingo Regalado, who highlighted that the municipality recovers a reference heritage element, with 145 years of history, becoming a dynamic element of culture in the historic center. The municipal regent was also accompanied by the insular director of Heritage of the Cabildo, Emilio Fariña; the first deputy mayor, Marcos González, and the councilors for Works and Historical Heritage, María Concepción Cabrera, and Fredi Oramas, respectively, as well as members of the municipal corporation.
The work, carried out through the Department of Works and Historical Heritage, with the collaboration of the Cabildo de Tenerife, has preserved the structure of the building as much as possible, and has consisted of reforming the space inside as a multipurpose space.
José Domingo Regalado argued that “it is a special day, because this building that we acquired in 2008 recovers its splendor, and that today opens its doors, thanks to the collective work of many people, and that we will be filled with a lot of content and activity, with concerts and exhibitions, among other things. Also, he indicated that at the moment the Camino Real is being improved and rehabilitated, running a section attached to this space, and that it will be ready to be enjoyed for the Major Festivals.
The Granadilla tobacco dryer is a construction that consists of a single nave with a gabled roof, has the shape of a regular quadrilateral and preserves elements that contribute to maintaining an environment typical of other decades. The building is a faithful reflection of the importance that the export of tobacco leaves gained in the municipality and in the region.
The construction dates from 1878 and was built by José García Torres, one of the most important tobacco growers in the Abona region, coinciding with the takeoff of this crop, as an alternative to the cochineal crisis, due to the invention and development in Europe of chemical dyes.
