On the cliffs of the Costa de Acentejo, a few kilometers from the abandoned castle that belonged to the surrealist painter Óscar Domínguez, there is a ghostly building that at night frightens sailors and hikers who come across its diminishing figure that seems about to fall from the rocks.
Located in the municipality of La Matanza in the north of Tenerife, it occupies an immense area of 183,000 square meters and exemplifies how harmful it is to build without planning or control.
Locally, it is known as the “skeleton of La Matanza” or “Mamotreto de Rojas“.
The Construction
In 1972, the Special Plan “Puntillo del Sol” authorized the construction of a hotel complex on the edge of the cliff, as part of the tourist operation being promoted in the north of Tenerife at the time.
By the end of the decade, concrete structures of two 15-story blocks connected by a central core were being constructed. It was intended to be a high-standard hotel.
However, for unclear reasons, the construction was halted almost immediately and never resumed, leaving the concrete and metal to the elements, exposed to the weather for over 50 years.
Ghostly Presence
During this time, the skeleton remained exposed on the slope, becoming a dominant silhouette of the coastal landscape.
Due to its size, many sailors view it from their boats when approaching that area of the island, causing unease in many of them.
The same happens with hikers who, if unfamiliar with the location, are surprised by its skeletal figure. It’s true that the area is secured by authorities, but it’s not difficult to bypass this restriction, as it lacks perimeter fencing.
Landslides
On October 30, 2023, a rubble landslide occurred, tumbling down the cliff into the sea, causing no injuries but reigniting concerns about its ruinous state.
Firefighters and Civil Protection have warned of the difficulty of acting if a larger collapse occurs in an area difficult to access on foot.
The Cabildo of Tenerife approved on March 22, 2024, an agreement to demolish the structure before the end of the 2023-2027 island mandate.
The file is processed within the Special Protection Plan of the Protected Landscape Costa de Acentejo and plans to draft an inter-administrative agreement between Cabildo-La Matanza specifying deadlines, funding, and waste management.
What Will Happen Next?
The two towers and the central core will be demolished using cutting and crane methods to avoid new landslides on the cliff. The land will be subject to the restrictions of the Protected Landscape Costa de Acentejo.
The plan rules out building and proposes revegetating the upper platform.
The Cabildo has not yet released the exact figure, but island technicians are already warning of a “high” cost due to the building’s height and the difficulty of debris removal by sea.
