Yacimiento Arqueológico Cuatro Puertas
A pre-Hispanic archaeological site in Telde, carved by hand into the rock at around 300 metres above sea level. The main cave opens to the outside through four aligned doorways, which give the site its name. At the summer solstice the rising sun enters through the second doorway and lights the back wall.
Cuatro Puertas is a group of artificial cavities cut by hand into the rock of the mountain, in the municipality of Telde. The cave that names the site has four entrances aligned along its front, an unusual solution that leaves the interior open and full of light. Its position at around 300 metres up commands the slope and is part of how the place should be read, with the sea and the plain in view. The complex is attributed to the pre-Hispanic population of the island and is interpreted as a place of assembly and ritual use.
The detail that draws most attention is astronomical: at the summer solstice the rising sun passes through the second doorway and lights the back wall of the cave. Guided visits are available and are the best way to grasp the relation between the cavities and their surroundings. The approach is by the road that climbs from Telde, with parking by the entrance, and the walk itself is short but over uneven ground. This is protected heritage: the rock must not be touched or marked, and visitors should keep to the signed paths.
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