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Triumph of the Candelaria

Triumph of the Candelaria, also called the Obelisk of the Candelaria, is one of the main sculptural monuments in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, in the Canary Islands, Spain. It stands in Plaza de la Candelaria. The monument is made of Carrara marble and was sculpted in Genoa by the Genoese sculptor Pasquale Bocciardo in 1768. It was erected in the square in December 1769 or shortly after, and was blessed by the bishop on 8 December 1770. Its base has been altered over time as the level of the square changed, but the monument remains about 11 meters high. The composition includes four marble statues representing the Guanche kings and an obelisk topped by the image of the Virgin of Candelaria.

The Triumph of the Candelaria obelisk rises in an open plaza, with stone figures at the base and a white figure atop the monument.
The Triumph of the Candelaria obelisk stands in Santa Cruz’s Plaza de la Candelaria.
December 2010 © · CC BY-SA 3.0
Triumph of the Candelaria obelisk with a small figure at the top, surrounded by a low fence against a blue sky.
The Triumph of the Candelaria rises above the plaza as a tall white obelisk with sculptural figures at the base and summit.
June 2012 © · CC BY-SA 3.0
The Triumph of the Candelaria monument, a white stone obelisk with carved figures at the base and a statue on top, in a city square
Triumph of the Candelaria monument in a city square, with a white obelisk, carved figures at the base, and a statue above.
September 2010 © · CC0
Triunfo de la Candelaria monument with carved figures on a pedestal, with a clock tower, palm trees, and flags in the background.
The Triunfo de la Candelaria monument in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, with a clock tower and flags visible behind it.
April 2014 © · CC BY-SA 3.0
The Triumph of the Candelaria stands in a public square beside a fountain, with people and pack animals gathered around it.
The Triumph of the Candelaria in a public square, shown with a fountain and figures in period dress nearby.
© Gabriel Bray · Public domain

Identification

TitleTriunfo de la Candelaria
Alternative titleObelisco de la Candelaria
TypeSculptural monument

Historical context

StyleNeoclassical
Date carved1768
Date erectedDecember 1769 or shortly after; certainly before 8 December 1770
Date blessed8 December 1770
DedicationOur Lady of Candelaria (Virgin of Candelaria), patron saint of the Canary Islands

Creator

SculptorPasquale Bocciardo
Sculptor originGenoese

Discovery and provenance

Place carvedGenoa, Italy
DonorCaptain Don Bartholomé Antonio Montañez, perpetual castellan of the royal seaside castle of Candelaria
Donation contextDonated as a complement to a marble cross previously given by Bartolomé Montañez to complete the ornamentation of Plaza de la Pila

Location and ownership

Inscription date1768; the inscription may be misread as 1778 because of a stylized character
Inscription referencesPope Clement XIII and King Charles III of Spain
Inscription contentThe monument was erected as an act of Christian piety in memory of the apparition of Candelaria; it states that the image of Mary Most Holy was worshipped on the island before the preaching of the Gospel, that the conquerors acclaimed her as patron of Tenerife and the islanders as patroness of the Canary Islands, that the royal successors of Tenerife revered her hidden divinity, and that the work was donated and erected at the expense and devotion of Captain Don Bartholomé Antonio Montañez
Current locationPlaza de la Candelaria, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
Former square namePlaza de la Pila
Inscription countFour inscriptions on the sides of the prism

Physical characteristics

Upper compositionFour marble statues of Guanche kings on the support, with the Virgin of Candelaria placed above a pyramidal pilaster supported by a prism
Base figuresOriginally four marble putti riding dolphins at the corners of the base; badly deteriorated, mutilated, removed in 1928, and later disappeared
BaseOriginally an octagonal support with floral volutes resting on a rectangular base; later altered when the square level changed in 1813 and again in 1928
HeightAbout 11 meters

Materials

Main materialCarrara marble
Base figures materialMarble

Appearance

Virgin figure styleGothic features

Iconography and meaning

Regional patronageAssociated with the special patronage of Tenerife and the general patronage of the Canary Islands
Depicted subjectThe Virgin of Candelaria
Historical claim in inscriptionThe image was allegedly adored on the island by the Gentiles 104 years before the preaching of the Gospel
Religious significanceA Christian monument commemorating the apparition of Candelaria and devotion to the Virgin on the island
Base decoration meaningThe putti riding dolphins represented the four seasons
Iconographic meaningThe Guanche kings are shown submitting to the image of the Virgin of Candelaria, placed above an obelisk
SymbolismRepresents the apparition of the Virgin and the subsequent conversion of the Guanche menceyes

History and restoration

Early publicationsThe inscriptions were published by Bory de Saint Vincent in 1803, and the first plate was published by Sabin Berthelot in 1839
Travel literatureDescribed or mentioned in many travel books from the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries
Historical receptionFor much of the 20th century, it was the first religious symbol or monument encountered by passengers arriving in Tenerife
Damage to base figuresThe putti were mutilated by two English soldiers in 1825 and later removed in 1928
Base modificationsThe base was altered when the square level was changed in 1813 and again in 1928, adjusting the monument's overall height while keeping it near 11 meters

Significance

Artistic valueDescribed as an element of high artistic value
Cultural significanceProbably the most popular and important of the sculptures adorning the streets of Santa Cruz
Historical contextSeen as an important symbol of Santa Cruz
Urban contextAt the time, the town's main square was described as poor, and the town had already become the capital of the Canary Islands

Other

Fiesta commemoratedFiestas de Mayo
Current commemorative practiceIn May, floral offerings are placed at the foot of the monument in commemoration of the Fiestas de Mayo
Fiesta significanceThey celebrated the anniversary of the founding of Santa Cruz de Tenerife