Santo Domingo Fountain

Santa Cruz de Tenerife · Category: Art · Subcategory: Sculpture · Year: 1867

In 1816, the public water spout that had been located since 1709 at the corner of what are now El Pilar and Teobaldo Power streets was moved to the rear of the Santo Domingo convent. The reason for this relocation was to supply water to the increasingly populous neighbourhoods of La Consolación and Vilaflor (today Puerta Canseco and Miraflores).

Initially, the fountain, made of basalt, had a receptacle with a square pillar crowned by a sphere in its centre. It had four spouts, two on each of the faces facing east and west.

In 1867 it was completely remodelled, incorporating four taps brought from abroad. In 1893, the municipal architect Antonio Pintor presented a new project for the fountain, whose main element was the addition of a cast-iron lantern in its central part, and the entire ensemble was enclosed by an iron fence. Both elements (lantern and fence) are no longer preserved today.

In 2001, a sculpture by Medín Martín was placed next to the fountain, in tribute to the figure of the Aguadora. The aguadoras were very popular characters in times when the city still did not have a "running water" service. Their work consisted of collecting the precious element from public fountains or "spouts" to transport it by their own strength to the homes that requested it, for which they received financial remuneration.

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