La Laguna - UNESCO Heritage

Verified content· Updated 25 June 2026

La Laguna

Founded between 1496 and 1497First capital of TenerifeUNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999

San Cristóbal de La Laguna was founded between 1496 and 1497 by the Adelantado Alonso Fernández de Lugo and became the first capital of Tenerife. Its unwalled urban layout, conceived in the early 16th century, served as a model for many Spanish-American colonial cities. For this reason its historic centre was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999.

It is also a university city, home to the University of La Laguna, the first university in the Canary Islands.

Gallery

San Cristóbal de La Laguna in an engraving by Leonardo Torriani (c. 1590) — Leonardo Torriani (Dominio público)

Historic centre of San Cristóbal de La Laguna (UNESCO World Heritage) — Miguel Díaz Hernández (CC BY-SA 3.0 ES)

Catedral de La Laguna — Diego Delso (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Iglesia de la Concepción — Diego Delso (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Real Santuario del Santísimo Cristo de La Laguna — Ad Meskens (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Plaza del Adelantado — Mentxuwiki (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Casa Lercaro (Museo de Historia y Antropología) — Mélanie Huguet (CC BY-SA 3.0 ES)

Teatro Leal — Diego Delso (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Full municipality guide

History, points of interest, photos and traditions of La Laguna - UNESCO Heritage

See the municipality guide

Essential information

Accessibility

Public transport access is available from Santa Cruz de Tenerife via the tram (Line 1 of Metrotenerife, which connects both cities), and the city has the La Laguna Bus Interchange (next to the Padre Anchieta tram stop) as the main bus station. The historic center is largely pedestrianized, so it is advisable to leave the car in paid public parking areas nearby (around the Interchange area, Parkia La Trinidad on Avenida de la Trinidad, or the Plaza del Cristo parking) and explore it on foot.