One of the most emblematic buildings of the island, between myth and reality
In full desert of Jandía, south of Fuerteventura, an imposing house stands that seems to have left the pages of a espionage novel: the Winter house. Surrounded by a rugged landscape of mountains and ravines, and a few kilometers from the lonely beach of Cofete, this enigmatic mansion has captivated tourists and curious for decades, not only for its architectural beauty, but for the stories around the mysteries that surround their Origin and purpose.
Reaching the Winter house is already an adventure itself. Although today it can be accessed by car, the road is not suitable for rookie drivers: narrow land paths that border cliffs and challenge the traveler with strong northern winds. However, after the journey, the landscape more than rewards: a majestic valley of semicircular that seems to have been sculpted by the same nature to house this singular villa.
Built in stone and concrete, the Winter house has a multiple windows that offer panoramic views of the ocean and the vast desert. Its design, at the same time rustic and elegant, includes an inner courtyard surrounded by rooms, a lounge with fireplace and a balcony that looks towards the immensity of the Atlantic. But, beyond its facade, what really catches are the stories that hide between its walls.
The official version argues that Gustav Winter, a German engineer, built the mansion in 1946 as a holiday residence after acquiring the land of the Jandía Peninsula. However, a more disturbing theory places its construction during World War II, under the auspices of the Nazi regime and with the consent of Francisco Franco.
According to this version, the Winter house was not only a rest house, but a strategic base. The isolated location of coffete, its proximity to the sea and the existence of underwater caves would have allowed German submarines to reach their basements to stock up. The legends also talk about secret rooms, opulent evenings and even a portrait of Hitler presiding over the living room, as if it were a spy movie den.
The mystery is still alive. While there are no conclusive evidence that confirms their relationship with the Nazis, the details found in the place – tapered men, unusual infrastructure and its strategic location – keep the intrigue alive. In the heart of Coftete, between mountains and deserted beaches, the Winter house stands as a reminder that the past, often, keeps secrets that perhaps we never get to reveal at all.
