This is an exceptional building that shows the social standing of its former dwellers. The refurbishing and extensions later undertaken have not damaged the building, so it is one of the best examples of domestic architecture of the first half of the 17th century.
The house, also known as Alvarado-Bracamonte, was built by the “Gobernador, Corregidor y Capitán de Guerra de las Islas de la Palma y Tenerife”, Diego de Alvarado-Bracamonte, who set up home and lived in San Cristóbal de La Laguna from 1624 to 1635. His lineage, reinforced by economic and political power, gradually rose to the point of obtaining the noble titles of Marquis de la Breña y de la Mejorada del Campo.
The property is also known as Casa de Los Capitanes Generales because from 1705 to 1723, six Capitanes Generales de Canarias lived there. This fact grants the building strong historical and institutional importance, which has survived to the present, since it is the location of the highest local representation of the municipality.
From a constructive point of view, the exterior is made of masonry work over stonework. The stone, red volcanic tuff, which is probably from the Bishop’s quarry in La Laguna, is used in certain parts of the building. This provides it with architectural distinction, especially because it is employed on the façade, as it has a stone doorway and corners. The irregular layout of the openings indicates it is a building of the 1600s. The wide tile eave and the sgrafitto in Hispanic-Muslim tradition underline the building’s distinction.
Regarding the interior, there is a large courtyard reached through the hallway; around it, the rooms of both the ground and upper floors. Apart from the light, ventilation and privacy it provides, it arranged the different rooms typical of a 17th century house: bedrooms, stables, cellars, depots, etc. The building is currently restored with special care given to the recovery of carpentry, and it is used for municipal purposes.
The Casa de los Capitanes Generales was designated Cultural Heritage Asset, under the Monument of local relevance, on 11 November 1981.
