1931 Spanish Army Map of Tenerife, Canary Islands

This is a c. 1931 Spanish Depósito Geográfico e Histórico del Ejército large-scale map of Tenerife, Canary Islands. It is the largest and most detailed map of Tenerife to appear during the Second Spanish Republic. Tenerife is the largest and most populated of the Canary Islands. While it is now a popular tourist destination, historically, Tenerife was a crucial stopping point on trans-Atlantic voyages.

A Closer Look

Coverage embraces the entire island with molecular detail. Towns, points, beaches, and other coastal features are identified, along with rivers and mountain peaks. Transportation networks, including highways, roads, and tram lines, are also noted.

The Second Spanish Republic

Per the Biblioteca Nacional de España, this map was published in 1931, the year King Alfonso XIII was deposed and the Second Spanish Republic declared. This map was likely created for the newly declared Republic. The Second Spanish Republic suffered insurgencies and unrest from its inception, ultimately losing the Spanish Civil War to the Nationalist regime of Francisco Franco. Tenerife fell to the Nationalists in 1936.

Publication History and Census

This map was created and published by the Depósito Geográfico e Histórico del Ejército c. 1931. Three examples are cataloged in OCLC and are part of the institutional collections at Biblioteca Nacional de España, the Consejo Superior Investigaciones Cientificas, and the British Library.