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The Chicharro Sculpture

The Chicharro Sculpture, also known as the Allegorical sculpture of the Chicharro, is a bronze sculpture of a horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus) in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain. It was originally donated to the city by the Venezuelan Cultural Association’s "Liqui-Liquis" and a gift from the city of Santa Cruz and the island of Tenerife, and was installed in 1979 in what later became known as Chicharro Square. In 2000, the original statue was stolen and later found in very bad condition, so a replica was made. The current sculpture, installed on a basalt stone since November 2003, weighs about 600 kilograms. It is now a symbol of the city’s inhabitants, who are called Chicharreros.

The Chicharro Sculpture showing a metallic fish leaping from a rugged rock pedestal.
The Chicharro Sculpture rises on a rock pedestal in an outdoor setting with plants and buildings in the background.
June 2012 © · CC BY 3.0
The Chicharro sculpture, a dark fish mounted on a tall stone pillar, stands in a plaza surrounded by red and yellow poinsettias.
The Chicharro sculpture rises above a flower bed in Plaza del Chicharro, Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
December 2025 © · CC BY-SA 3.0
The Chicharro Sculpture, a dark metal fish on a stone pedestal, in front of a large tree and flower bed.
The Chicharro Sculpture stands on a stone pedestal in a landscaped plaza in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
July 2013 © · CC BY 3.0
The Chicharro Sculpture shows a metallic fish leaping from a stylized wave outdoors.
The Chicharro Sculpture, a metallic fish leaping from a wave in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
May 2012 © · CC BY 3.0
Bronze plaque for the Chicharro sculpture with a coat of arms and Spanish inscription.
Plaque commemorating the inauguration of The Chicharro sculpture in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
December 2025 © · CC BY-SA 3.0

Identification

TitleThe Chicharro Sculpture
Alternative nameAllegorical sculpture of the Chicharro
TypeBronze sculpture

Iconography and meaning

SubjectA horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus)

Location and ownership

Current square namePlaza del Chicharro
Original installation siteAt the end of San José Street, near Plaza del Príncipe, then called Plaza Alféreces Provisionales
LocationSanta Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain

Historical context

Cultural significanceOne of the city's most beloved symbols
Original installation date17 February 1979
Square renaming dateSince 2009

Discovery and provenance

DonorThe Asociación Cultural Venezolana Amigos del Arte del Hogar Canario-Venezolano, nicknamed "Liqui-Liquis"
Donation leaderPhotographer Trino Garriga Abreu, recipient of the Premio Canarias de la Comunicación
Donation purposeA gift to the people of Santa Cruz and to the island of Tenerife

Creator

Original sculpture made byStudents of the Escuela de Industriales de Caracas
Original sculpture supervised byÁngel Camacho Hernández and Guillermo González Mejías
Current sculpture sculptorsFrancisco Javier Rodríguez de Armas and Evelina Martín Rodríguez
Current sculpture workshopBronzo workshop

History and restoration

Current placement dateNovember 2003
Official inauguration date4 November 2003
Original sculpture fateStolen and mutilated in 2000; taken to Valencia and narrowly escaped being melted down for scrap metal
ReplacementA replica was created to replace the damaged original
Condition after recoveryFound in very bad condition

Physical characteristics

MaterialBronze
WeightAbout 600 kilograms
BaseBasalt stone

Appearance

Preserved element in replicaOnly the original wave was preserved and included in the new sculpture
Plaque inscription"La Comunidad Canario-Venezolana al Noble Pueblo de Tenerife"

Significance

Symbolic meaningSymbol that gives its name to the inhabitants of the capital and the island: Chicharrero