The construction of the new Plaza de la Patrona de Candelaria and its entire surroundings, which will completely transform one of Tenerife’s most visited spaces, will begin before the end of the year. The tender board has just recommended awarding the contract to the company Construcciones Sánchez Domínguez-Sando, headquartered in Madrid, which has carried out major infrastructure projects in Spain, Morocco, and Poland.
Construcciones Sánchez Domínguez-Sando has achieved the
highest score (96.16) from the Tenerife Island Council’s tender board, the administration leading the project, ahead of OHL (94.7), Vias y Construcciones SA (94.3), and the temporary union of companies FCC and El Silbo Construcciones y Obras (85.4).
This is the envisioned appearance of the new Plaza de la Patrona in the municipality of Candelaria. / E. D.
The project will cover an area of 20,000 square metres, including the main square and the promenade around the Basilica that houses the Virgin of Candelaria, the patron saint of the Canary Islands. It will bring about a significant transformation in an area through which thousands of people pass to visit La Morenita.
It will be carried out in three phases: the first on the promenade (3,431 square meters), the second in the Plaza de la Patrona (13,640), and the third in Plaza de los Artesanos (2,354). The project also includes the improvement of hydraulic channels and sanitation.
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The plan envisions the construction of a ramp-style building in the Plaza de la Patrona, which will house a sacred museum, a multifunctional hall, and a tourist office. The large square will also be repaved, along with the San Blas promenade and Cueva de los Camellos, and Antón Guanche Street will be pedestrianised.
This is the envisioned appearance of the new Plaza de la Patrona in the municipality of Candelaria. / E. D.
The project, made possible through the collaborative efforts of the Island Council, the Candelaria City Council, and the Island Water Council, will preserve the Pilgrims’ Fountain at the gates of the Basilica, as well as the Guanche sculptural ensemble.
The President of the Island Council, Rosa Dávila, asserts that this is «a necessary and emblematic project for Tenerife and the municipality of Candelaria», highlighting that the Basilica is a Cultural Heritage Site and “a must-visit place, as well as a place of worship and pilgrimage for many islanders.” Meanwhile, the Mayor of Candelaria, Mari Brito, expressed her satisfaction: “We are one step closer to the long-awaited renovation of the Plaza de la Patrona de Canarias becoming a reality.”
This is the envisioned appearance of the new Plaza de la Patrona in the municipality of Candelaria. / E. D.
On June 14, 2000, Ricardo Melchior, then President of the Tenerife Island Council, alongside the mayor at that time of Candelaria, Rodolfo Afonso, announced the redevelopment of the Plaza de la Patrona. Melchior stated it would be the first of the three island squares to be developed (the other two being Plaza de España in Santa Cruz and Plaza del Cristo in La Laguna).
Their hope, he mentioned, was for the works to commence before the end of the term, in May 2003. It is now, 24 years later, that the start of the project that spent many years on the shelf is coming into sight.
