Built under King Felipe II in the 16th century, Santa Barbara Castle was Teguise's primary defense against marauding pirates and privateers. Visit today to enjoy the ancient battlements and tour the Museum of Piracy, where you'll learn about the rogues and pillagers who terrorized Lanzarote.
Admire the imposing walls of the battlements as you approach. Although the 400-year-old castle was restored in 1989, its grand ramparts, chain-link doors and square viewing towers retain a remarkably authentic feel. As you explore the dark halls and upper battlements, imagine being a Lanzarote sentry, watching for approaching raiders or guarding prisoners in the dungeons.
The castle once held the Emigration Museum, displaying documents, diaries and belongings of Lanzarote families that were forced to move to South America to aid new Spanish settlements.
Today, however, the castle rooms hold the displays of Lanzarote's political history alongside the Museum of Piracy. Explore the first halls to learn about Teguise in the 16th century and see a replica model of the old township.
In other rooms, discover exhibits of Berber pirates who plundered Teguise repeatedly in the 16th and 17th centuries, searching for treasure and slaves.
Find stories of pirate plundering, comics of historic piracy characters and replica ships farther through the museum. See depictions of Sir Francis Drake, a feared English privateer known to Lanzarote residents as El Draque (The Dragon).
After a lesson in piracy, climb to the castle towers and enjoy sweeping views of the countryside. The dwarfed houses of Teguise city stretch into the distance on one side, while the other side looks toward Lanzarote's picturesque coast.
From the town, look toward Mount Guanapay at night to see the castle illuminated by warm spotlights.
Find Santa Barbara Castle a few minutes' drive east of Teguise. Get there via a tour bus or rent a car and use parking near the entrance. The museum is open daily and charges an entry fee.
