The Cultural Heritage department of La Laguna City Council announced yesterday that restoration efforts have commenced on monuments situated in public roads and spaces within the municipality. This initial phase, expected to be completed by the end of the year, focuses on six urban sculptures and busts. Selection criteria prioritised those works that are in the most dilapidated condition or require immediate attention, as identified in the sculpture inventory conducted by Cultania on behalf of the municipal department.
The task has been assigned to the local firm Bronzo Esculturas, which is specialised in the maintenance and preservation of busts and monuments crafted from bronze or utilising industrial techniques. They are currently engaged in the rehabilitation of these structures, including their bases and pedestals.
The councillor for the department, Adolfo Cordobés, stated yesterday that they have resolved to “implement the intervention and preventive conservation plan for these monuments in phases, to expedite the work and prioritise those in the worst state or at greatest risk. The aim is to prevent serious deterioration of these assets, which could lead to significant restoration efforts and increased costs.”
The selected works for this initial phase are dispersed across the municipality and encompass a variety of formats and materials. These include the Monument to the Neighbour, created by José Cabello and Ricardo Bonet (Taller Tamiz), situated on Lora and Tamayo avenues, initiated by the FAV Aguere, with its concrete structure designed and calculated by the municipal company Muvisa; The Lady of Aguere, by Fernando García Ramos found in the old quarter; and the Monument to Sebastián Ramos (El Puntero), by Eladio de la Cruz, located at the Punta del Hidalgo viewpoint.
Furthermore, the sculpture positioned in front of the Casa del Peón Caminero de Tejina, crafted by Orlando Hernández, is also part of this initiative; as is the La Laguna bust of the musician Teobaldo Power, situated in the Las Mercedes church square since 1969, about which there is no record of its creator. In addition, the Tribute bust to Pedro González, by Vicente Pérez Fernández, located in La Vega park, which was stolen in January 2023 and later resurfaced at the same site months later, is included in this selection.
This selection was derived from the inventory of street sculptures, which involved thorough fieldwork and historical source compilation that has not only facilitated the initiation of documentation to include previously unrecorded works in the municipal catalogue but also successful geolocation of the 94 identified pieces, along with detailed information regarding their state of conservation, origins, and typologies within this local urban heritage.
The mayor also reminded us that there is already a comprehensive study on the condition of the monument to Father Anchieta, alongside a restoration project commissioned to the esteemed Spanish firm GEA Geological Consulting, which has collaborated with restorer Pablo Klett Fernández. “The estimated cost for this endeavour is approximately 49,000 euros, and we are actively working to put it out for tender following the approval of the new municipal budget,” he added.
