The Santa Bárbara Castle, now a museum, sits on the Guanapay mountain overlooking Teguise. It was built by Sancho de Herrera in the 16th century as a watchtower for the coastlines on both sides of the island. In 1588 Leonardo Torriani, an Italian engineer in the service of King Felipe II, reinforced the castle’s structure adding spyholes, turrets, embrasures and moats, converting it into a real fortress.
Most of the documents gathered in Lanzarote concerning the Canarian emigration to America are exhibited in this Castle-Museum.
The majority of these documents come from local archives and include family letters, passports, postcards, pictures, maps etc. This original material has been complemented with reproductions, scale models and texts to offer a more comprehensive context.
After the initial growth, the castle slowly entered a long period of deterioration until 1960 when a group called "Friends of the Castles" undertook the first restoration. A subsequent restoration was carried out in 1977 by the Fine Arts Association.
In 1989, the Restoration Department of Teguise’s town hall undertook the final renovation to restore Torriani's original design.
Recently the interior of this castle has been tastefully converted into the Museum of Canarian Emigrants.
Location: Castillo de Guanapay.
Montaña de Guanapay, Teguise.
Phone Number: +34 928.84.50.01.
Opening Hours: Summer season: 10am to 16pm
Winter season: Monday to Friday 10am to 17pm.
Saturday, Sunday and bank holidays 10am to 16pm.