The Taganana valley has been inhabited since the
Guanche era, as evidenced by numerous archaeological findings, and was part of the
Menceyato of Anaga. Along the trail between Taganana and lies the so-called
Piedra de los Guanches, an
archaeological site linked to the
Guanche mummification practices. This indigenous monument is also known as the Taganana Stone. Following the conquest of Tenerife in 1496, land distribution began among conquerors and settlers. Taganana was founded in 1501 through one such grant to a group of settlers from
Lanzarote and
Fuerteventura. However, it was already inhabited shortly after the conquest by these settlers and free Guanches. Thus, Taganana is one of Tenerife's oldest settlements and the third oldest in the
Macizo de Anaga, after
San Andrés (founded three years earlier) and (founded two years earlier). From the 16th century, alongside San Andrés, it was a key hub in Anaga, with its own parish by at least 1505 and a mayor and constable by 1518. Its lands were initially dedicated to sugarcane cultivation, leading to the construction of the Las Vueltas Road to transport the harvest. This road was the massif's most important communication route, linking Taganana to San Cristóbal de La Laguna, then the island's capital, and branching off to connect other valleys like San Andrés, El Bufadero, and Afur. The former Taganana municipality, corresponding to the Las Nieves parish territory, stretched from the to the Roque de Antequera, separated from the San Andrés Valley municipality by the Anaga ridge. It included the hamlets of ,
Afur, , , , , and . The 20th century brought improved public services, particularly after the road arrived in 1968. In 1994, Taganana was incorporated into the protected . In 2006, the Taganana hamlets of and Tachero, along with other coastal Anaga settlements, were declared out of compliance after the Ministry of Environment set the maritime-terrestrial boundary at 328 feet (100 m) from the highest tide mark. These areas await recognition as urban zones by the Coastal Authority.
History of Our Lady of the Snows According to tradition, the statue of the Virgin was found by settler Gregorio Tabordo on the El Cardonal coast during a storm in the 16th century, abandoned by a ship fleeing the weather. == Economy ==