Forgotten Paradise: Balneario Santa Cruz – From Beloved Getaway to Ruin
Once a popular spa resort in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, built in 1930, it now stands abandoned, reminiscent of past times of recreation and entertainment for locals.
We often remember the Balneario of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. It is now in a terrible state, and no one knows what to do with it. But few remember how important a place it was for the city's residents. People relaxed, had fun, and simply had a good time there.
Now it is a fenced-off ruin, overgrown with weeds. It is dangerous to go there because everything could collapse. But until the 1980s, it was a favorite vacation spot for everyone.
Now the main beach of Santa Cruz de Tenerife is Las Teresitas. But before, people went to swim in the Balneario, on its pebble beach. It was wonderful there on sunny days.
In 1928, the mayor of Santa Cruz, Santiago García Sanabria, announced that the construction of the Balneario was beginning. He and several other people created a society to bring this idea to life.
It was decided to build the Balneario in the Valleseco area, near Bufadero. There was supposed to be a beach, a pier, three swimming pools, and a playground for playing fronton. And so, in 1930, after two years of construction, the Balneario of Santa Cruz was opened.
The architect Domingo Pisaca Burgada designed the building in the then-fashionable style of rationalism. For the residents of Tenerife, it was something incredible.
In 1934, an Olympic swimming pool was opened. It became an important place for sports and recreation. At the same time, the Balneario Swimming Club was founded to promote swimming.
Until 1965, there was no other public Olympic swimming pool in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Therefore, many people learned to swim there.
Next to the main building was a recreation residence named after José Miguel Delgado Rizo. It was a four-story building for social tourism. It was managed by the Trade Union Organization for Education and Recreation.
Employees could rent rooms there for two weeks. Initially, the building was planned as a hotel-casino.
There were 100 single rooms and 90 family rooms. In the summer, almost a thousand people vacationed there. Prices were affordable – 10 pesetas per person with full board. Dances, holidays, and other events were held there. The residence quickly became a popular vacation spot until it closed in the 1980s.
In 1992, the Balneario of Santa Cruz was closed. The ruins hold the memories of thousands of people who swam and relaxed there.