Only in Tenerife… you start digging and end up finding a cannon.
During works at the Cabildo, a two-metre-long, multi-tonne cannon has been uncovered… and now the question is simple:
How old is it?
Not Just a Random Find
According to local historian Carlos Pallés, this isn’t as surprising as it sounds.
Santa Cruz wasn’t just a port… it was a fortified coastal stronghold for centuries.
So finding military remains?
Fairly normal.
Finding something this size… less so.
Why It Matters
This isn’t just about the cannon itself.
It’s about where it was found.
The current city sits on land that didn’t always exist… much of it built on reclaimed coastline.
In simple terms:
👉 The cannon may have originally been at sea or on the old shoreline, not where it sits today.
Which opens up a bigger question… what did Santa Cruz actually look like back then?
How Does a Cannon Just End Up There?
These weren’t small bits of equipment.
We’re talking:
- 2 to 3 tonnes in weight
- Expensive
- Carefully tracked by the military
So they didn’t just get “lost”.
One theory is that it fell during unloading from a ship… which, back then, was far from straightforward.
No cranes. No proper docks.
Just ropes, smaller boats, and a bit of luck.
If something slipped… it was gone.
Two Possible Timelines
Right now, there’s no official dating yet… but two main ideas:
- Late 1500s (Philip II era)
Imported cannons used to defend the empire - Mid-1700s (Bourbon period)
Reinforcement of Tenerife’s coastal defences
If it’s the earlier one… it’s a much rarer find.
If not, still important… just less unique.
The Problem With Identifying It
The cannon appears to be cast iron, not bronze.
Which means:
- Fewer decorative details
- Harder to identify
- And in this case… heavy corrosion
So no clear markings yet.
What Happens Now?
Work hasn’t completely stopped… but the area is being handled carefully.
The key thing is:
👉 Don’t move it too soon
Because the position itself tells a story.
How it’s lying, what’s around it… all of that matters more than rushing it into a museum.
Where It Could End Up
If it’s preserved locally, one likely spot is the Castillo de San Cristóbal remains… which would make sense given the city’s defensive history.
The Bigger Story
This isn’t really about a cannon.
It’s about what’s underneath Santa Cruz.
A city that:
- Was once a defensive port
- Has completely reshaped its coastline
- And, in the process… buried a lot of its own history
Every now and then, something like this shows up and reminds you what used to be there.
And how much of it is gone.