The Triunfo de la Candelaria is one of the main sculptural monuments in the city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, on the island of Tenerife. This work was donated by Bartolomé Montañez as a complemento to a marble cross he had gifted years before to complete the ornamentation of Plaza de la Pila, which was named for a water fountain that served the population and ships since the early 18th century. The monument is dedicated to the Virgen de la Candelaria, the patrona of the Canary Archipelago, and symbolizes the appearance of the Virgin and the subsequent conversion of the menceyes guanches.
The monument, carved in marble by Pasquale Bocciardo in 1768, originally had a height of approximately 11 meters. It sits on a square base with a support featuring volutes and floral ornaments. On this support are four marble statues representing guanches who guard the image of the Virgen de la Candelaria, placed atop a pyramidal pilaster.
Records from 1839 and 1887 show that the base once featured four putti riding on dolphins, which represented the seasons. These figures were mutilated by two soldiers in 1825 and disappeared when the plaza was remodeled in 1928. Despite the absence of these small figures, it remains a high-value artistic element and a popular symbol in the streets of Santa Cruz.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Mutabor
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