The Historical Heritage Area of the Cabildo Tenerife is set to invest half a million euros in the renovation of the residence of the writer, historian, and physician, Juan Bethencourt Alfonso, located in San Miguel de Abona in the southern part of the island. The local authority plans to transform the estate into a museum and interpretation centre showcasing the lifestyle of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
This restoration is a key component of the actions outlined in the 2023-2027 Heritage Insular Programme.
The initiative was discussed during a meeting held the previous week, featuring the Insular Director of Heritage, Isabel de Esteban, along with the mayor of the town, Arturo González, and the Minister of Citizen Attention and Quality of Services from the Cabildo of Tenerife, Candelaria Padrón. Also present were the council members for Culture, Pilar Méndez, and the Council Member for Works and Infrastructure, Rafael Baute, alongside technical staff from the Cabildo and the local council.
Isabel de Esteban remarked on the excellent collaboration with the City Council regarding the planned projects and stated that “these efforts are being implemented across all municipalities in Tenerife and focus on conservation, restoration, and the preparation of essential resources such as catalogues and Special Protection Plans for Historical Sites.”
Tourism
Additionally, she elaborated that this infrastructure will promote subsectors such as tourism by showcasing specific points of interest for the visitors that Tenerife attracts; it will also create employment opportunities, facilitating the recruitment of a significant number of individuals across various sectors. She highlighted some examples, including construction, economic development (boosting the economic growth of different regions of the island), and sustainability, by preserving those heritage elements that characterise and enhance the environmental significance of both urban and rural landscapes. Arturo González expressed appreciation that the institutional visit has underscored the considerable heritage value of the municipality of San Miguel de Abona, trusting that the Cabildo will support the projects we are undertaking in the town regarding heritage, which are vital for further elevating the worth of the town centre and its designated cultural interest area.
The visit also provided an opportunity to assess the status and potential of a property with substantial heritage significance situated at number 4 Church Street, which the City Council plans to acquire.
Alfonso was a physician, historian, and ethnographer who practised in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, where he was also engaged in education, journalism, and politics as a member of the Liberal Party. His most significant contribution is the history of the Guanche people, a groundbreaking study of the pre-Hispanic populations of Tenerife and their oral traditions. Furthermore, he established the Scientific Cabinet and the Archaeological Museum of Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
Both administrations concur that the refurbishment of this building will serve as an exemplary instance of historical heritage recovery, and arrangements are in place to commence the necessary procedures.
Insular Historical Heritage Programme
The Cabildo allocates 1.6 million euros in grants to municipalities. This initiative is part of the Insular Programme of Historical Heritage 2023-2027. The island director explained that this programme encompasses two lines of action related to grants for the municipalities.
