La Estrella, Puerto de la Cruz’s distinctive star-shaped petrol station, remains closed more than two years after part of its roof collapsed. A technical solution for restoring the protected landmark is still being agreed.
At a glance
| Detail | What is known |
|---|---|
| Location | Punta de la Carretera, by Calle Valois, Puerto de la Cruz |
| Landmark | DISA petrol station with a six-pointed concrete roof |
| Closed since | March 2024, following a partial roof collapse |
| Restoration licence | Granted in April 2025 |
| Latest position | Technical studies and discussions continue, reported 18 October 2026 |
| Reopening date | No confirmed date in the latest report |
Why is La Estrella still closed?
According to Diario de Avisos on 18 October 2026, the Cabildo’s heritage service and DISA are continuing discussions about the most suitable way to restore the building. Its unusual structure has required specific engineering studies to establish how repairs can preserve its architectural character.
The wait is therefore continuing despite the earlier municipal licence. The report gives no confirmed date for reopening.
What happened to the roof?
On 1 March 2024, one of the six points of the concrete canopy folded down to the ground. Nobody was injured, but the petrol station was closed, fenced off and supported with temporary props.
By October 2026, that closure has lasted more than two and a half years.
A landmark from Puerto’s 1960s transformation
The station was promoted in 1960 by DISA and local businessman José Manuel Sotomayor, with a design by architect Luis Cabrera Sánchez-Real. The project was completed in 1964, during the years when tourism was reshaping Puerto de la Cruz.
Fuel pumps occupied the upper level, while vehicle washing and lubrication services were provided below, with access from Calle Valois. A spiral staircase around the central support connected the levels. The building was designed as a complete service station, with its striking roof forming the most visible part.
More than an ordinary petrol-station roof
La Estrella takes its name from the six-pointed canopy. Its thin reinforced-concrete surfaces rise and dip around a central support, giving the structure the appearance of a large umbrella.
In his architectural account, Eladio Arteaga described how the circular layout organised vehicles around the central office. The structure also incorporated a raised water tank and ties extending towards the roof’s points. These details help explain why restoring the building involves more than replacing a conventional flat canopy.
Why the building is protected
La Estrella forms part of the Puerto de la Cruz historic ensemble, declared a Bien de Interés Cultural (BIC) in 2006. The protection includes the petrol station’s circular perimeter.
The declaration specifically identifies the station as a valuable example of contemporary architecture, recognises its Manuel de Oráa architecture award, and highlights its association with the entrance to the town from the Botanical Garden road. Puerto’s protected heritage includes twentieth-century engineering alongside its older houses, churches and streets.
What did the 2025 restoration plan include?
The rehabilitation licence reported on 9 April 2025 covered reconstruction, repairs and structural consolidation, together with renewed service installations. The figures published then were €455,712 for the structure and €114,451 for installations, including pipework and tanks: €570,163 in total.
The intention was to improve durability while retaining the station’s distinctive architecture, including matching the finish of repaired structural elements to the rest of the roof. Those are the figures and aims reported in 2025; the latest coverage does not establish a revised final cost or a works timetable.
La Estrella in the townscape
The photograph above looks across Puerto from Taoro, with La Estrella in the lower right of the view. It was taken on 9 July 2025.
Photograph: Flocci Nivis / Wikimedia Commons, licensed CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Explore more of Puerto de la Cruz
Follow PuertoDeLaCruz.info in Google
If our Puerto de la Cruz news and guides are useful to you, you can add PuertoDeLaCruz.info as one of your preferred sources in Google.