Castle of Santa Bárbara

This military construction is the oldest preserved on the island.

It was built during the first half of the 16th century by Sancho de Herrera, who placed it atop the Guanapay Caldera—an ideal strategic location that served as an excellent watchtower, allowing for the surveillance of ports and coastlines.

By the mid-19th century, fortresses had become ineffective and fell into decline. After many years of abandonment, in 1960 the Friends of the Castles of Lanzarote began preservation efforts on the Santa Bárbara fortress. Since 1998, it has been managed by the Teguise Town Council, which transformed it into the current Museum of Canarian Emigration.