Morales Fountain

Santa Cruz de Tenerife · Category: Art · Subcategory: Sculpture · Year: 1838 · Authors: Lorenzo Pastor y Castro

This fountain was the second public one that Santa Cruz had after the Pila de la Plaza de la Candelaria. The Morales Fountain began operating in 1837 and is named after Francisco Tomás Morales, who was the general commander of the Canary Islands, and on whose initiative the water from the Aguirre spring flowed through channels to the city centre.

Located at the time of its inauguration in the middle of the El Cabo neighbourhood, the fountain represented a huge advance in the lives of residents regarding water supply, both for hygienic purposes and for animals.

It was the work of the Tenerife artist Lorenzo Pastor y Castro (1784-1860), who designed it in a simple classical style. The fountain features an elongated basin that collected water emanating from four jets located in the mouths of anthropomorphic heads (which no longer exist) situated under the four blind arches.

On the frieze of the construction is written " Fuente de Morales. Year 1837, dedicated in 1838 ". This duality of dates is due to a change of councillors in the Town Hall at that time, and both the outgoing and incoming wanted to be recognised as creators, so both years were indicated.

The Morales Fountain and the hermitage of San Telmo are the only physical testimonies that remain of what was one of the most populous neighbourhoods of the city: the El Cabo neighbourhood.

28.463722, -16.248905