Arco de Tajao

Arco de Tajao, which is also known as the Bijagua arch. This rock bridge is located on the southeast coast of Tenerife and was originated by the erosion of water over the centuries on a poorly consolidated version of the volcanic tuff typical of the area, the ignimbrite, better known in the place as chasnera slab. It is made up of volcanic material what comes from eruptions that occurred several hundred thousand years ago. It is estimated that this natural bridge began to form approximately 200,000 years ago. However, it is not the only lava formation that we can see in the area, although it is undoubtedly the best known and most visited. It is an example of what nature can do over time. The nature of the rock of the place, a mixture of materials with different resistance, and the erosive action of two small ravines that flank the arch, gave rise to the structure as we know it today. The complete structure is best perceived if we observe it from the east slope, the sea side, letting the blue sky pass through its cavity. The arch is of considerable height and it is possible to walk over it.