The Development of a Utopian City? Comparing Land and Skyscapes in Santa Cruz de Tenerife and San Cristobal de la Laguna

A comparative analysis of the spatial orientation of historic churches in San Cristóbal de La Laguna and Santa Cruz de Tenerife reveals a unique, deliberate urban planning pattern in La Laguna. The study found that 21 churches in La Laguna exhibit a clear astronomical declination slightly below 20°, suggesting alignment with the feast-day of San Cristóbal de Licia (July 25th). In contrast, six churches in Santa Cruz show no such pattern, instead aligning with orographic sunrise limits. This discrepancy supports the idea that La Laguna was meticulously planned in the early 16th century, distinguishing it from its contemporary counterpart.

Gangui, A., & Belmonte, J. A. (2018). THE DEVELOPMENT OF A UTOPIAN CITY? COMPARING LAND AND SKYSCAPES IN SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE AND SAN CRISTOBAL DE LA LAGUNA. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/ZENODO.1472261