El Durazno: Cultural Heritage on the Camino de El Ciprés

The Camino de El Ciprés and its history

The Camino de El Ciprés brings together several aspects of El Durazno’s local history. Since 2008, it has been designated an Asset of Cultural Interest in the category of Historic Site. Its route is also clearly defined: it is about 800 metres long and runs between Cruz del Durazno and the La Palmita area, at the former C-820 road, where it meets the TF-5 motorway. The Camino is also an important connecting route to neighbouring Puerto de la Cruz. For travellers who take architectural and regional history into account when choosing where to stay, it offers a direct way to explore El Durazno’s historical connections.

These details describe the route in different ways: its designation establishes its legal heritage status, its approximate length and endpoints outline its course, and its connection to Puerto de la Cruz describes its wider regional role. These aspects are related, but they answer different questions about the route. This allows you to consider the Camino as a place of cultural and historical significance without reducing its importance to a single function.

The Hacienda, its architectural history, and the Mudéjar style

At the junction of the Camino del Durazno and the Camino de San Bartolomé stands the Ermita y Hacienda de San Bartolomé Apóstol. The house and the Ermita y Hacienda were built at the same time in the 17th century, by order of their then owner, D. Bartolomé de Molina Llarena. The Ermita y Hacienda building is in the Mudéjar style. For those interested in architectural history, this connects a specific construction period and the name of the then owner with a particular architectural style. The simultaneous construction of the house and the Ermita y Hacienda is a distinct historical detail, separate from the building’s later classification by architectural style.

Another agricultural complex, described separately, is located at Camino del Durazno 19, on the corner of El Ciprés. It was created to support banana cultivation and built in the early 20th century, following the agricultural typology then prevalent for banana-growing houses. The architectural history of El Durazno thus spans different periods and focuses: the simultaneous construction of the house and the Ermita y Hacienda in the 17th century, and the agricultural typology of the complex at Camino del Durazno 19 in the early 20th century. Each offers a distinct perspective on the town’s historic architecture.

Agricultural heritage and other historical connections

The Hacienda del Durazno follows the characteristic model of Canarian rural architecture, particularly that of large haciendas. It was the retreat of D. J. de Herrera Ayala y Rojas (1714–1766), 11th Count of La Gomera and 6th Marquis of Adeje. He also played a leading role in its construction. His connection to the Hacienda as a retreat and his involvement in its construction are two distinct aspects of its history: one describes the Count’s connection to the Hacienda, the other his role in its construction. This distinction helps put the site in context, as it avoids reducing the historical figure to a single role.

Finca La Vizcaína also has its own architectural and religious significance. In the 17th century, José Llarena Calderón y Valcárcel had a small private oratory built there as a religious outbuilding of the estate. Its entrance arch is semicircular and made of millstone. Its construction period, original function, and distinctive entrance detail complement the larger haciendas with a different scale and type of building. Together, these named examples show that El Durazno’s cultural heritage can be explored through both agricultural estates and religious architectural history.

For the broader travel overview: Puerto de la Cruz.