Buena Vista del Norte

Buenavista del Norte is a municipality belonging to the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, on the island of Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain.

It stands out mainly for its livestock, being one of the few towns that preserve the tradition of raising oxen.^{[citation required]}

The municipal capital is located in the town of Buenavista, located 120 m s. no. m..

Toponymy

Its name comes from how amazed the Castilian conquerors were when they saw the beauties of their lands.^{[citation required]}

Symbols

Shield

The municipal coat of arms was approved by Order of the Government of the Canary Islands on March 7, 1986, being organized as follows: «half split and cut: 1st, azure, a lighthouse of its color; 2nd, of sinople two gold grasshoppers, through and placed on a stick; 3rd, plant a sinople teasel. General border of gules, and the following legend, with gold letters DAUTE IS MY SIDE. TENERIFE: MY ISLAND.- BUENAVISTA: MY NAME. At the doorbell Corona Real closed".

Flag

The municipality does not have an approved flag, although it unofficially uses a flag divided into two halves by two vertical bands in green and white, with the heraldic shield in the center.

Physical geography

Location

It is located in the extreme northwest of Tenerife, bordering the municipalities of Los Silos and Santiago del Teide.

The municipality has an extension of 67.42 km², occupying the 11.er position in surface of the island and the 19th of the province. It has a coastline length of 33.81 kilometers and its maximum altitude is located in Los Topos de la Mesa, at 1342 ms. no. m.

Orography

Finca de Guergues, in the massif of Teno

Buenavista is divided into three well-differentiated territorial areas: Isla Baja, the Teno massif and Teno Bajo.

Within Isla Baja, Buenavista occupies the westernmost part of this geological formation. Of horizontal topography, it originated as a consequence of the arrival of lava flows into the sea from the volcanic cones of El Palmar and Las Portelas, in the upper area of the municipality, and of the eruptions of the Aregume and Taco mountains.

The Teno massif is one of the oldest parts of Tenerife. For seven million years, nature has been shaping its landscape dominated by deep ravines such as Masca and Los Carrizales and high cliffs, such as Los Gigantes and El Fraile.

Teno Bajo was formed by the accumulation of lava flows from the Teno Alto volcanoes, which overflowed the old cliff, gaining ground from the sea and forming the current esplanade. Subsequently, this area was expanded with the eruption of the Punta de la Aguja volcano, creating the space that the lighthouse and its surroundings occupy today.

Hydrography

The main hydrographic basin of the municipality is the Valle de El Palmar ravine, highlighting others such as the Los Sauces ravine —on the border with Santiago del Teide—, the Masca ravine, Las Siete, the Bujamé ravine, and the Juan ravine Lopez. Other important ravines are those of Cejas, El Carrizal or de las Aneas, the Chajabe ravine, the Taburco ravine, the Galera ravine, the Hoya los Palos ravine and the Frontón ravine.

Climate

In the lower windward zone and directly influenced by the trade winds, there are mild temperatures with annual averages around 20 °C and scarce and irregular rainfall. In Teno Bajo, aridity and heat increase —23 °C on average. In the midlands, the incidence of the trade winds and the lesser influence of the sea cause the thermal contrasts between day and night to become more evident. To the leeward —Masca, Los Carrizales— the dryness and heat increase, showing environmental conditions more similar to those of the south of the island.

Average climate parameters of Buenavista del Norte (1982-2012)
Month	Ene.	Feb.	Mar.	Open up.	May.	Jun.	Jul.	Ago.	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.	Annual
Average temperature (°C)	19.6	19.7	20.7	21.5	22.6	24.6	27.0	28.2	26.8	25.2	22.4	20.5	23.2
Average temperature (°C)	16.5	16.6	17.3	18.0	19.1	21.0	23.2	24.0	23.4	21.8	19.4	17.5	19.8
Temp. medium (°C)	13.4	13.5	14.0	14.5	15.6	17.5	19.4	19.9	20.0	18.4	16.4	14.5	16.4
Total precipitation (mm)	54	43	36	17	8	3	0	1	6	35	63	70	336
Source: Climate-data.org

Nature

Protected spaces

The municipality has a large part of the surface of the Teno rural park, an area of the Canary Islands Network of Protected Natural Areas.

Likewise, most of the rural park is included in the Natura 2000 Network as a Special Conservation Area and a Special Protection Area for Birds. For its part, the entire coastline of the municipality from Punta del Fraile to the west is included in the ZEC called the Teno-Rasca Marine Strip.

History

Guanche period: before the fifteenth century

One of the most important Guanche archaeological sites on the island of Tenerife is the Masca Solar Station, located in the municipality.^{[citation required]}

European Conquest and Colonization: 15th and 16th Centuries

Buenavista del Norte is one of the few municipalities in the Canary Islands that has its own founding act, dated 1513. But it is documented that on March 11, 1498 Buenavista already had its own identity, since Alonso Fernández de Lugo on that date he ceded to Diego de Cala some lands located in La Fuente del Cuervo, place of Buenavista.

The Teide seen from Teno Alto.

In 1501, part of their lands and Fuente del Cuervo itself passed into the hands of another transcendental figure: Juan Méndez el Viejo, who founded the hacienda called «de la Fuente», from from which the distribution of the urban settlement of Buenavista was articulated. The expansion of the small hamlet did not take long to take place and in the new layout the Andalusian origin of many of its inhabitants was evident. Such is the case of the creation of the Triana neighborhood, which would come to remind the most famous of Seville. However, the most important population contribution had a Lusitanian origin, and this is demonstrated by the fact that the first parish book, begun in 1512, appears written in Portuguese. The construction of the church of Nuestra Señora de Los Remedios would reinforce the identity of the new population center.

Old Regime: 17th and 18th centuries

Historian Juan Núñez de la Peña described the place in 1676 as follows:

BUENNAVIEW. The place of Buenavista with it brings the name, which gives to understand, that such is; it is famous place, has a large and compassionate square, has good plains of viñas of malvasia, and of sowing wheat, cogense of all fruits; there is in it a good parish with a beneficiary, and clergy, and a convent of religious, of the order of Saint Francis, there are rich people, and noble, has his scribe.

Juan Núñez de la Peña, 1676.

José de Viera y Clavijo, in his work Noticias de la historia general de las Islas Canarias, says of Buenavista at the end of the century xviii:

BUENNAVIEW. It's halfway from Daute and 11:30 from La Laguna. It's plain land, ruined town in broad streets and in cordel, albeit low. Beautiful sky and wonderful sea views. The church is good, served by a beneficiary priest provision of the king. There are 1 convent of San Francisco as of 12 friars, and 8 hermits. The neighborhood is 1,376 people, some in the payments of Taco, Las Hoyas, the Palmar Valley, Los Carrizales, Teno, Los Rincones, La Fuente. It is a land of vineyards and sows.

José de Viera and Clavijo, 1772-1773.

Modern period: 19th and 20th centuries

Pascual Madoz says of Buenavista in his Dictionary around the middle of the xix century:

BUENNAVIEW: place with town hall [...] on the island and diocese of Tenerife, judicial party of Orotava: SITUADO at 925 feet on the sea level in plain land; it is the last and most western of the peoples of the island on the north side, point appreciable by the sweetness of CLIMA, soil fertility and picturesque aspect of its countryside, although disturbed by the winds of NO. that reign almost constantly and blow with too much force; they form the population a certain number of CASAS distributed in a sterling square and in broad and straight streets; more than two thirds of the neighbors live in the payments of their jurisdiction, which are Taco, Palmar, Hoyas, Teno, Carrizales, Rincón and Fuente. There are 3 schools of first education [...]; there is also a parish church (Ntra. Sra. de los Remedios), [...]; the building is of good factory and taste; there is also another building with its church that was a Franciscan convent, and enough hermits in the payments. Confine the TÉRMINO by N. and O. with the sea; by E. with that of Silos, and by S. with the mountain range of western mountains that divide their jurisdiction from that of the valley of Santiago. Within the east radius it describes, is to the N. the Mount of Taco which is one of the most apparent volcanic on that side of the island; the tip of Buenavista formed by the steep mountain; the famous estate of the Count of Sevenfuentes, watered with the waters of the fountain of the Crow; the port of Good Jesus, in whose center is the valley of Bujami; the tip of Teno is famous because of its term. of the island; to the O. the Bufaderos; the so-called Calzada of the Ancients; the Bay of Rome and the Bay of Habita and the Punta de la Abeja, a promontory formed by the mountain range called Muralla del Diablo, among whose slags grow the most rare plants; and to the S. Mount Banacin, that of Chavaco and the Palmar; the TERRENO, as it was said, In addition to the Cuervo Fountain the delicious vega of Buenavista other streams of waters descending from the hills, especially those coming from the Palmar valley. CAMINOS are scabrous and horseshoe. The CORREO is received from Orotava. PRODUCTION: wines of very good quality, legumes, potatoes, wheat, corn and other seeds, vegetables, fruits; breed hunting of various kinds and abundant fishing of different species. INDUSTRIA: There are some tape looms and silk stockings. TRADE: the deportation of some of its productions and the importation of items that are needed; POPULATION: 547 neighbors, 2205 souls...

Pascual Madoz, 1845.

On September 9, 1948, he was awarded the title of Very Honorable Villa.^{[citation required]}

Demographics

Graphic of demographic evolution of Buenavista del Norte between 1900 and 2021

Official regular residents according to ISTAC population censuses.

As of January 1, 2020, it had a total of 4,865 inhabitants, ranking 27th in number of inhabitants on the island of Tenerife and 35th in the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

The relative population was 70.99 inhabitants/km².

By gender, there were 2,402 men and 2,384 women.

From the analysis of the population pyramid it can be deduced that:

• The population between 0 and 14 years was 10% (473 persons) of the total;
• the population between 15 and 64 years corresponded to 66 % (3 168 pers).
• and the population over 65 was 24 % (625 pers.) remaining.

Regarding the place of birth, 85% (4,085 people) had been born in the Canary Islands, of which 75% (3,053 people) had been born in the municipality itself, 24% (994 people.) in another municipality on the island and only 1% (38 pers.) came from another island in the archipelago. The rest of the population was made up of 3% (132 pers.) of peninsular Spaniards and 12% (569 pers.) of those born abroad, especially from Venezuela and Germany.

Administration and politics

List of mayors since the 1979 democratic elections

Mayor.	Start of mandate	End of mandate	Party
Francisco García Martín	1979	1983			Union de Centro Democrático (UCD)
Aurelio Abreu Expósito	1983	2008			Spanish Socialist Workers Party (PSOE)
Víctor Manuel Lorenzo	2008	2011			Spanish Socialist Workers Party (PSOE)
Antonio José González Fortes	2011	2015			Alternative Yes you can for Tenerife (ASSPPT)
Eva María García Herrera	2015	2019			Spanish Socialist Workers Party (PSOE)
Antonio José González Fortes	2019	-			Alternative Yes you can for Tenerife (ASSPPT)

After the 2015 elections, a pact was formed between the councilors of the PSOE and the CC, giving the mayoralty to the socialists. In the Year 2019 a pact of SSP and CC is formed giving the mayor's office to the ecosocialists

Territorial organization

A large part of the municipality is included in the Icod-Daute-Isla Baja Region, while its area occupied by the rural park forms part of the Teno Region.

Buenavista is also part of the Community of Northern Tenerife.

The municipality is divided into seven population entities, some formed in turn by smaller nuclei:

Economy

Small cove near Masca.

Buenavista's economy has historically been based on agriculture. The tourist exploitation, driven by the activity of the entire archipelago, is changing this economic base, becoming tourism the main source of income for the inhabitants of the municipality.

• Primary sector, historical basis of the municipality ' s economy focused on agriculture and subsistence livestock. Agricultural activity has led to corners such as El Palmar, Las Lagunetas, Las Portelas and the farms of Masca, Los Carrizales and Teno Alto.

• Secondary sector, virtually non-existent. There is only some artisanal activity and services for the primary maintenance of the facilities. Among the craftsmen are the cestería de mimbre and cane and the basket of straw in El Palmar, the cestería in palm and in Masca, the works in wood for labranza aperos, spears, scissors to catch, sticks, etc., that are made in El Palmar and Teno Alto, the knives and canaries of bone that work in El Palmar municipality.

• Services sector, the new economic engine of the municipality focused on tourism and the exploitation of natural and social resources.

Social welfare

Education

The municipality has the following educational centers:

• CEIP Triana
• CEIP The Cuesta
• CEIP Nicolás Díaz Dorta
• CEIP El Palmar
• CEIP The Portelas
• IES Buenavista

Health

Buenavista has two local medical offices, located in the urban area and in the El Palmar neighborhood.

Communications

Roads

The municipality is accessed mainly by the TF-42 highway from Icod de los Vinos and by the TF-436 from Santiago del Teide.

Public transport

The municipality has a taxi rank on Calle de La Alhóndiga, in the town center, and is connected by bus —guagua— through the following TITSA lines, with a station in the urban area:

Heritage

The life of a community enclosed between mountains, perfectly adapted to its territory, with highly autarkic characteristics and today in danger of disappearing, has enabled the survival of architectural ensembles, paths and sidewalks adapted to overcome the great unevenness of the region; of terraces, stone shelters for the shepherds against the wind on the Teno Alto hills, of eras, with their singular characterization, of the presses in the lower area of the El Palmar Valley and the lime kilns.

The main patrimonial wealth of Buenavista del Norte is constituted by its historic center and the hamlets of Masca and El Palmar, in addition to its architectural, religious and popular representations.

The municipality has three Assets of Cultural Interest:

• Northern Buenavista Historical Set
• Historic Masca Casery Set
• Archaeological zone Pico de Yeje

Culture

Parties

Other cultural manifestations are traditional festivals and dances, such as the livery of El Palmar, the Livery of El Lugar de Buenavista or La Piñata de Teno Alto, the dances of the ribbons, the string dances and the various folkloric genres, some of them recognized by the nickname of the town itself (tanguillo or tajaraste de Teno, polka de Teno, joropo de Teno), as well as ancestral customs, such as the way of measuring the passage of hours through the shadows of the cliffs, in which a clear Guanche influence can be observed.

Popular interest and devotion are aroused by the Virgen de Los Remedios, celebrated in October, and San Antonio Abad, in January, with the cattle drive, dance of magicians and pilgrimage.

Other manifestations of interest are the Fiestas de la Cruz in Las Lagunetas, San Juanito in El Carrizal, Nuestra Señora de La Asunción and Santa Lucía in La Cuesta, the Virgen del Carmen in Las Portelas, San Bartolomé in the town, San Jerónimo in Teno Alto, La Consolación in El Palmar and La Concepción in Masca.

Places of interest

• Mountain of Taco