The La Laguna City Council is considering creating a separate entrance to the former city jail to ensure that future visitors do not have to pass through specific municipal offices to reach the historic building. The jail is situated in the inner courtyard of the Casa del Corregidor, which is a part of the Town Hall headquarters. This aspect will be thoroughly examined and outlined as part of the modifications that will be planned to incorporate the necessary enhancements for accessibility (in compliance with Royal Decree 193/2023) and entryways in the restoration project currently underway for the property, as stated by the cultural heritage department of the municipality.
Last Friday, the technical teams from the City Council and the General Directorate of Heritage of the Government of the Canary Islands convened to address this matter. It is essential to note that this project is progressing under an agreement signed in 2022 between both governing bodies.
During the meeting, it was agreed that the City Council would cover the project modifications, hire an archaeologist for its execution, and fund the construction management, while the Government would oversee the implementation. The municipal expenses will be of a smaller scale, with the exact amount yet to be determined, according to the cultural heritage department.
Once the project is formulated and endorsed by the Urban Planning Management, it will then be submitted to the Heritage Commission of the Cabildo. Upon receiving all necessary positive evaluations, it will be forwarded to the Canary Islands Government for implementation. Should the entire administrative procedure progress smoothly, the cultural heritage department anticipates the project to be approved by the end of this year with ample time for execution, as the agreement between both authorities was signed in 2022 with a four-year duration.
Upon completion of the work, the Municipal Heritage Council will review the development of a promotional campaign for the facilities, the archaeological undertakings, and their historical significance, highlighted the cultural heritage department.
Tracing Back to the 16th Century
The ancient prison of La Laguna likely dates back to 1535 or 1536 and operated as a penitentiary until the 1960s and 1970s. However, in the 1980s, an internal module was constructed to house the former Town Hall switchboard before being repurposed as an attic and municipal storage area. Its historical importance stems from being the sole documented structure erected at the inception of the city, in the early 16th century.
The restoration work on the property, now 85% completed pending accessibility enhancements, has been overseen by an archaeologist. Tasks have involved deep cleaning of the interior, elimination of false ceilings, walls, and floors, disassembling installations, wiring, and gutters, revealing the original layout and uncovering the graffiti left by prisoners on the old walls.
The initial phase of the archaeological intervention also unveiled a chamber in the basement of the building, speculated to be a dungeon or even a cistern, requiring clarification in forthcoming study stages.
