CIVIL ARCHITECTURE

In spite of the loss of many historical buildings, which established the urban organisation, because of the economic development of the last centuries, it is probable to contemplate interesting buildings, which show a past time full of events, aims artistic, cultural and social projects. Besides the large number of populated towns, Los Realejos spread out the development of the so – called Realejo Alto, Realejo Bajo and San Agustín, places where the civil as well religious architecture had got a greater importance. Though, it never had got buildings of a majestic artistic appearance, and since its owners belonged to the agrarian middle – class, it included the main Movements regarding its urban shape, from the traditional and more outstanding patterns, and also considering the Classicist ones and the eclectic language.

The largest number of buildings of the XVIII – XIX centuries, with the contribution of the next century. The materials are the common ones used in this type of constructions: walls of whitewashing masonry, wood (most of the times of “tea”) for the gaps, stairs, upright pillars, roofs, etc. In most of the cases the plasters and tiles depending always on the artistic trends. The traditional dwelling presents a flat main front, with or without a balcony, and central courtyard, side or back. It is not a strange to find real estates where both styles fuse; the façade usually hides the original stylistics pattern of the house, which belongs to another age. These architectural effects are present at all and each one of the urban areas, which comprise the municipal district. Furthermore, we stand out because of their historical importance the following ones.

In the oldest part, where the last events upon the Conquest of Tenerife (1496) took place. Around the Parochial Church of St James the Apostle were raised the main dwellings of one and two floors, with back courtyards. There are still buildings in the middle of the new ones of the Tres de Mayo road, samples like the one of the Parochial House, of a flat front and gaps symmetrically arranged. El Medio de Arriba road also offers us interesting patterns of the traditional architecture with a kind of wrought balcony. Following the same model, two samples of present day architecture arouse: the previous Town Council of Los Realejos, a work of Mister Tomás Machado (in the 60s of the last century), whose main front is a part of that past; Viera Cinema, a remarkable building carried out by Marrero Regalado about 1939. Next to it the old house of El Llano, of nineteenth – century patterns. Nevertheless, the most emblematic dwelling is undoubtly the natal house of Viera y Clavijo. It is located in the other side of the Godínez Ravine, in the road which receives his name, formerly so – called “El Agua”. Due to the historical changes, it only preserves the main front in an undamaged way, since its inner part has been restyled.