Culture.
Among the local celebrations, those of San Juan Degollado and the Pilgrimage of Saint Agustín stand out, on the last Sunday in August, declared of tourist interest. |
Calendar of Arafo’s Popular Festivities |
Middle of March |
Saint Joseph . Regional craftsmanship fair. |
First days in May |
Festivity of the Cross. El aserradero |
Middle of July |
Our Lady of Carmen. El Carmen |
Last fortnight in August |
Patron Festivities of San Juan Degollado: Pilgrimage of Saint Agustín (Declared of national tourist interest) Transference of Forgiveness, regional meeting of Couplets. Band contest. |
31 August |
Saint Bernardo |
End of November |
Saint Andrew. La Hidalga and El Carretón |
Arafo is the seat of famous bands due to its traditional fondness for music.
The wine is likewise valued and enjoys immense fame.
Centres of Cultural Interest
Arafo’s Municipal Archive.
Phone: 922 511 711
Auditorium Juan Carlos I. Conservatorium and practice salons.
This is the most ambitious construction ever built in the Villa of Arafo, it is composed of an Auditorium-Hall, with 486 seats, distributed in two levels for musical and theatrical shows or any kind of cultural activity, and halls for the Elemental Music Conservatorium, practice salons, bathrooms, exhibit room and conference room. It was inaugurated by the Kings of Spain on June 24 th, 1994.
Phone: 922 524 421
Library of Caja Canarias.
Phone: 922 524 096
Casino Unión y Progreso.
Phone: 922 511 901
Cultural and recreation Centre
Phone: 922 511 819
Tourist, Armoury and Agricultural Centre.
Phone: 922 514 281
Culture Council of the Guildhall of the Villa of Arafo.
Phone: 922 511 712
Wealths of Cultural Interests
House on the Gral. Franco Street or “House on the Car Corner” ("Casa de la Esquina de los Carros")
Recreational Park and Ruins of “Lo de Ramos”.
It survived the 1705 volcano eruption thanks to the splitting of the lava flow.
Water mill, aqueduct and public washing place.
It was built in 1895 by Antonio Marrero Pérez, with his life savings brought from the Americas. It is an Artistic Historical Monument since 1984, and is one of the most important architectural ensembles of Arafo, located on the Hill of the Pond (Cuesta del Estanque). The mill is formed by a water canal built over an arch in the quarry stone reinforced by large dimension blocks of rough stone, which progressively rise in height to be able to pour water on a square construction (the mill’s water gathering vessel), made of stone and which is in charge of supplying the necessary water to move the mill’s grinding machine.
With the aim of economising such a vital resource, the water that comes out of the mill was used in the public washing places, of some 12 square meters, which were distributed lengthwise, on the inside were two series of basins for washing clothes.
Today the covers of the basins have been lost, although some restoration works have been carried out, and fortunately most of the washing stones have been conserved.
For Complete cultural information concerning Tenerife and the Canaries visit www.tenerifeculture.com