The Municipal Archive of La Orotava
The Municipal Archive of the La Orotava Town Hall is a genuine treasure, a place where memory resides. This facility, located on San Sebastián Street, is available to everyone, from the general public to researchers, and houses both historical and administrative documentation generated by the local council, along with donations received, according to information provided by the Town Hall.
The documentation spans 2,648 linear metres and comprises 19,363 installed units. Its origins are primarily municipal, dating from the 19th century to 2023, although it also includes documents from family collections that have been donated, the oldest of which dates back to 1472. Additionally, it holds 2,276 audiovisual materials, 4,714 administrative books, 84,190 photographs, 7,908 posters, and 3,137 programmes and brochures.
Local History and Archival Resources
The Archive also features a small library dedicated to local history and archiving, as well as collections of rubber stamps and materials used within the Council for the creation of documents, such as quills, typewriters, mimeographs, photocopiers, and both photographic and video cameras, among other items.
Regarding the photographic material, it consists of 84,190 images, with the majority in digital format, covering a period that corresponds to the last quarter of the 20th century. The archive manages the cataloguing and digitisation of this material, in addition to municipal population registers, which are frequently sought after by those conducting genealogical research.
Significant Donations and Collections
A considerable portion of the documents within the Archive comes from donations by individuals. Among these received files, a significant collection of old photographs of the La Florida area stands out, providing a complete overview of the evolution of this region from the 1930s to the present day. This is complemented by a collection of images gathered over more than half a century, as well as a special issue of the magazine Hoy from 1933 and 1934, containing articles about the town.
In 2024, the Archive completed the cataloguing process of the collection belonging to the presbyter Vicente Nepomuceno and his family, which includes a rich array of documents dating from 1655 to 1944, encompassing a wide variety of types.
Preserving History Through Technology
The Archive of La Orotava exemplifies how the coexistence of history and new technologies is essential for the proper transmission of knowledge. The consultations are mainly conducted in person and are chiefly from locals, although there has been an increase in national and international researchers.
The Archive was a pioneer in the Canary Islands, being the first centre to recognise and safeguard oral tradition as a significant source for historical research. Since 2021, this Archive has preserved oral testimonies, including interviews and other audio documents, to maintain the memory and historical heritage of the local community.
