Past and present merged yesterday in front of the Captaincy headquarters of the Tenerife capital to stage a “historic” changing of the guard on the occasion of the celebration of the 300 years of the transfer of the military institution to Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
A large public gathered mid-morning near Plaza Weyler to witness the solemn raising of the flag, in which the Tenerife 49 Infantry Regiment carried out an emotional relay between current and vintage soldiers, recreated by members of the Gesta July 25.
Major General Luis Cortés, chief general of the Canary Islands Command Staff, accompanied by the mayor of the city, José Manuel Bermúdez, and other military and civil authorities, presided over this celebration, which is part of the events carried out to celebrate the three centuries of history of this anniversary.
We must go back to the year 1723 when the commander general of the Canary Islands, Lorenzo Fernández de Villavicencio, decided to move his residence from La Laguna to the Castillo de San Cristóbal, now disappeared, which would lead to Santa Cruz taking over as the main headquarters of the Captaincy. General of the Canary Islands.
However, it would be in 1880 when the Canary Islands Command would settle in its current location, in front of Plaza Weyler, once the work on the Palace was completed.
Three years later it was built right in front of Valeriano Weyler Square, in honor of the last captain general who inhabited the Carta Palace, until then the headquarters of the Army.
