SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 28 Sep. (EUROPE PRESS) –
The Mayor of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, José Manuel Bermúdez, and the Vice President of the Government of the Canary Islands, Román Rodríguez, accompanied by the Councilor for Infrastructure and Works, Dámaso Arteaga, and the Councilor for the Centro-Ifara district, Guillermo Díaz Guerra, visited this Wednesday the Masonic Temple on the occasion of the start of the works that will allow its comprehensive rehabilitation, with an investment of three million euros from the Ministry of Finance, which at the time were transferred from the General Directorate of Fine Arts of the Ministry of Culture.
Bermúdez stressed that “it is a moment of great relevance that gives continuity to the recovery program of the city’s historical heritage and a long-awaited action that has not been without setbacks” and emphasized that “now, there is a team of architecture led by María Nieves Febles, there is already a contract under the supervision of Víctor Rodríguez, so the rehabilitation of this jewel of Masonic architecture, unique in Europe, begins today”.
The mayor valued the contribution of the Vice President of the Government to obtain financing from the central government and recalled that “precisely next year will be the 100th anniversary of the completion of the façade of this architectural work, so this action comes at a significantly important moment , both for the building and for the historical heritage of the city”
For his part, Dámaso Arteaga specified that “the technical team for this refurbishment knows that it is a work that must be carried out slowly, but diligently”, for which reason there will still be no machines here “but you have to go progressively and you will see how, with care, all the elements are being restored”.
He also stressed “the very special symbology of this building” and concluded by stating that “in this way, an important historical debt owed to Santa Cruz de Tenerife is fulfilled, one more piece in the determined will of this government team to recover the Heritage”.
A REFERENCE AT A TOURIST AND CULTURAL LEVEL
According to Arteaga, “the building will undoubtedly become a benchmark for tourism, culture and heritage in the city and will be one of the most visited enclaves in Santa Cruz.”
In fact, he warned that “this will happen when it is restored, but we must know that there is still important work to be done from here to there”, showing his hope that there will not be “too many difficulties”.
Román Rodríguez affirmed that NC presented an amendment to the General State Budgets in order to provide financing for a building “intimately linked to the culture and idiosyncrasy of the city” and added that this project shows that “we must also be aware ” that heritage should be protected, and not just negotiate for housing or roads.
The architect in charge of this action, María Nieves Febles, added that “it has been essential to document ourselves in order to know the meaning of many parts and pieces” of the project, which is why they have had to go “to the studio and to the masons themselves to understand and respect, maximum, all the extraordinary symbology of this construction”.
On his trip to Madrid last February, the mayor took the opportunity to meet with Jesús Soriano Carrillo, thirty-third Sovereign Commander of the Supreme Council of the thirty-third and last degree of the ancient Scottish rite, with whom he discussed different aspects of the lodge in the capital of Tenerife and “the positive consequences that the rehabilitation of this jewel of Santa Cruz’s heritage will have, both for the Freemasonry of this city and for the members of all of Europe and the world, precisely because of the uniqueness of this construction,” said Bermúdez in a note sent by the City Council.
Thus, the works will focus on the symbolic and material recovery of the Masonic lodge, taking into account its BIC category, in addition to adapting and making the new uses compatible with the heritage character of the building, also contemplating the recovery of the spatial configuration and iconography of the most symbolic spaces, such as the Meeting Room and the Agape Room.
