On January 6, 1955, exactly 70 years ago today, the Official State Gazette announced a decree that marked a significant turning point in the history of one of the key municipalities in the northern region of Tenerife: «The official amalgamation of the municipalities of Realejo Alto and Realejo Bajo, in the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, is agreed, forming a single municipality under the name of Los Realejos».
The Royal City Council is set to commemorate this landmark anniversary in 2025. The celebrations will feature a series of activities, including the introduction of a commemorative logo, which was unveiled last December, a travelling exhibition centred around this so-called Fusion – featuring a selection of photographs and contextual historical information – the re-release of an already published comic – set to include a gamified digital edition with El Genio de Los Realejos – and an exhibition of the minutes from the union of Realejo Alto and Realejo Bajo, previously published in 2005 for the 50th anniversary.
Additionally, there will be talks conducted by scholars and historians delving into the commemoration and origins of the two towns – they will play a central role during the May Festival and the Carmen Festival – as well as cultural activities, such as the debut of a musical in November, featuring performances from both local bands – Los Realejos Philharmonic Musical Society and Cruz Santa Musical Group.
The principal commemorative event is anticipated to occur in October at the Plenary Hall of the Los Realejos City Council. Simultaneously, special publications will be shared through the official social media channels of the Los Realejos City Council, offering insights into the history of the municipality.
The process commenced three years prior to the publication of the decree, when both councils initiated the merger proceedings, which were supported by the Tenerife Cabildo. An agreement from the insular corporation dated April 7, 1954, noted that attempts to unify the two municipalities had been made “at various times” but failed “for reasons beyond the control of the interested corporations.”
Numerous factors warranted this measure: the communities of Realejo Alto and Realejo Bajo were closely associated, lacking any physical barrier separating them, merely existing as an imaginary divide; public services such as telephone, electricity, and education were jointly provided, and “the direction of contemporary municipal policy” aimed to “form municipalities of significant strength,” as noted in the Cabildo’s agreement.
Initially, the proposed name for the merged municipality was El Realejo. However, this suggestion was abandoned after the Realejo Bajo City Council proposed changing it to Los Realejos. Nicolás González del Carmen, who was appointed mayor of Realejo Alto in 1952 and tasked with guiding the process, played a pivotal role in this decision. He facilitated the appointment of Óscar González Siverio as councillor of Realejo Bajo and maintained close communications with the then Minister of the Interior, the Canarian Blas Pérez González.
On February 13, 1955
When the new town hall for the united towns was established on February 13, 1955, the position of mayor was filled by Domingo Luis Abreu. On this date, a long-awaited and often thwarted project transitioned into a tangible reality: two towns, each with its unique characteristics, merged into a shared vision.
In chronological order, the key milestones began on March 11, 1952, when the Realejo Alto City Council approved the merger, with Nicolás González del Carmen serving as mayor; on March 16, 1952, the Realejo Bajo City Council also consented, under mayor Óscar González Siverio; on December 23, 1954, the councils of both Realejos were dissolved; and finally, on January 6, 1955, the publication in the BOE marked the birth of Los Realejos as a new municipality.
