The Mayor of Santa Cruz, José Manuel Bermúdez, alongside the Councillor for Historical Heritage, Santiago Díaz Mejías, inspected the ongoing renovations at the Masonic Temple in the capital yesterday, with completion expected early next year, as per the information released by the city council. They were joined on the tour by the architect overseeing the refurbishment, María Nieves Febles, as well as architects and technicians from the municipal Infrastructure department.
Bermúdez emphasised that “the Masonic Temple has been under renovation for some time with the intention of establishing a visitor centre in one of the foremost historical edifices in Santa Cruz de Tenerife,” and he added that “during our visit, we observed that the progress of the work is satisfactory, and we anticipate that the refurbishment will be nearly complete by the start of next year.” He noted that “next year, the centre will be opened to the public, focusing primarily on Freemasonry, both in Santa Cruz and across the Canary Islands and the rest of Spain.”
The architect in charge of the project revealed that “we have already surpassed the halfway mark, so we believe that we can finish the building within four to five months.” She further stated that “the restoration work has been somewhat slow, reaching 85% completion, with only the vault and floor finishes remaining. We have also completely restored the entire perimeter cornice and the extensive façade border, which featured intricate polychrome work.”
The architect highlighted “the comprehensive effort that has gone into designing this rehabilitation, along with all the knowledge we have had to acquire to first comprehend the building and its symbolism and then develop our approach.” She added, “Research has been vital to understand the significance of many components, leading us to engage with the craftsmen and the masons themselves to grasp and honour, as much as possible, the astounding symbolism inherent in this construction.”
The renovation works, devised by architect María Nieves Febles, focus on the symbolic and material recovery of the Masonic lodge, taking into account its BIC designation, as well as ensuring that the new functions are compatible with the heritage character of the building. This also includes the restoration of the spatial and iconographic configurations of the most emblematic areas, such as the Tenidas room and the Agapes room.
The project has necessitated an investment of 3 million euros, funded by the Ministry of Finance, and allocated by the General Directorate of Fine Arts within the Ministry of Culture.
