|
|
SANTA CRUZ - SPAIN
Santa Cruz de Tenerife (2003 population 220,022)
is a Spanish city on the island of Tenerife, in the Canary Islands.
It is the capital of the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and a co-capital
of the autonomous community of the Canary Islands.
The city is a
seaport and a tropical resort, offering its impressive scenery and mild sub-tropical
climate to visitors.
The port also exports products of the Canaries such as vegetables, tobacco,
and bananas. The oil refinery, inaugurated in November 28th 1930, and other
industries were constructed to attempt to diversify the economy.
The city's airport was the site of the Tenerife disaster, the worst aircraft
accident in history.
Naval history
Due to the strategic location of Tenerife on the route between the
Mediterranean and the Americas, it was attacked a number of times by the
English and the Dutch. In particular, Santa Cruz Bay was the scene of two
notable naval engagements involving two of the most famous British admirals.
In 1656, Admiral Robert Blake totally destroyed a Spanish silver fleet of 16
ships for the loss of one of his own, despite being under fire from shore
batteries and attacking and withdrawing on the tide. 50 years later, The
British under John Genings were defeated when they attacked the island on
November 6, 1706 during the War of the Spanish Succession.
Lord Nelson was to be less successful, losing his leg in a failed attack
within the same bay on July 25 1797.
|
|
