Most people refer to Teide as the highest peak in Spain and the third largest volcano in the world. However, it is not all that is incredible in this wonderful place. Did you know that it has existed for the last 8 million years? The Teide National Park, located below the mountain, attracts an average of 100,000 local and national tourists each year.
There is no denying one thing about Mount Teide, it is spectacular and one of the most amazing places in the world, with breathtaking scenery and beauty that is simply a joy to look at. This explains why it is the main attraction of Tenerife. Now, how was Teide born and all the spectacular surroundings that surround it? Well, if you had that question in your head, maybe this article will clear your doubts.
A giant on the island of Tenerife
One notable thing about Teide that is worth mentioning before delving into the details of its formation is that it is not as inactive as it is described. Most people would say that the volcano may have last erupted millennia ago, which is not true.
The volcano had its last eruption on November 18, 1908, but it was not as prominent as all other modern eruptions. However, many researchers, geologists, and scientists have conducted research, which generally showed that the volcano is now really dormant.
Although the 1908 eruption was notable for being the most recent, there are other documented eruptions of the Teide volcano that have occurred throughout history. The first occurred in the years 1704 and 1705. It was a fissure eruption that was distributed among three emitting sources; Fasnia, Siete Fuentes and the popular Volcán de las Arenas. After this eruption, there was another one that lasted a total of 9 days in 1706 with the emission center in Montaña Negra and that caused a lot of damage in the surroundings.
Then, in the year 1798, on June 9, the longest volcanic eruption began. The eruption, popularly known as Pico Viejo, took place right on the edge of the historic Teide National Park. This eruption lasted a total of 3 months until September 9 of the same year.
If you move around Mount Teide, it is likely that you will come across some historical traces left by these eruptions, the most visible being the area east of Las Cañadas, left by the eruptions of Siete Fuentes, Fasnia and Arafo. The fascinating thing about these trails, in particular, is that they do a great job of visualizing the geological history of Tenerife.
So, from the information above, it is easy to see that the Teide volcano was active from the year 1704 to 1908, making a total of 204 documented years. It is also the highest peak in Spain with a record height of 3718 meters above sea level.