Auditorium of Tenerife

The Auditorium of Tenerife or Auditorio de Tenerife is an important tourist place which was designed by architect Santiago Calatrava Valls. It is located on Canary Islands, in Spain. Construction began in 1997 and was completed in 2003. The auditorium was inaugurated on 26 September of that year with the presence of Felipe de Borbon, Prince of Asturias, and was later visited by former U.S. President Bill Clinton.

The majestic profile of the auditorium has become a symbol of the city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the island of Tenerife and the Canary Islands. It is also regarded as the finest modern building in the Canary Islands and one of the most emblematic buildings of Spanish architecture. In March 2008, it was included by the post office in a set of six stamps showing the most emblematic works of Spanish architecture

The auditorium hosts various musical performances, such as Tenerife Danza, Atlantic Jazz, World Music and Great Performers in addition to hosting the Symphony Orchestra's season of Tenerife, the Tenerife Opera Festival and, together with the Teatro Perez Galdos in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the sessions for the Canary Islands Music Festival. Auditorium facilities are designed to accommodate conferences, product launches and conventions. The auditorium building and its environment are also promoted as a location for filming commercials.

The Tenerife Auditorium was officially opened by the Prince of Asturias Felipe de Borbon on September 26 of 2003. The opening was covered by media from around the world, including newspapers such as the New York Times, Financial Times, The Independent, the Paris Le Monde, and Italy's Corriere della Sera, as well as international magazines such as Elle Decoration, Architecture Today and Marie Claire Maison.

The official Cadena Dial Awards have been held in the Tenerife Auditorium since 2007. The awards reach across the Atlantic via the radio network Union Radio Kiss Radio in Colombia, Mexico, Chile and Costa Rica, Continental Radio in Argentina and Top 40 stations of Panama, Argentina, Guatemala and Ecuador. In addition, the gala is broadcast on TV Canaria and Cuatro TV.

The auditorium was visited by former President of the United States Bill Clinton, who visited Tenerife in July 2005 to attend a conference on the role of the island in the Tenerife Atlantic Logistics Platform. Since this is also the first visit by a former U.S. president to the Canary Islands.

The Auditorio de Tenerife and Santiago Calatrava have been criticized for several reasons: his change of location, various structural problems, budget increases, and an alleged breach of safety rules. Despite this criticism the building is now considered an emblem of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and a distinctive symbol of the city and the island.