The Plaza de San Francisco - La Laguna

The Plaza de San Francisco or Plaza del Cristo is located on one side of the historic center of the city, bordering the plain , and served as a boundary between the urban and rural part of the municipality. The name San Francisco is due to the existence of this monastery since before 1506 .

In front of the Franciscan Monastery of San Miguel de Las Victoria , since the sixteenth century there was a large space known as "Campo de San Francisco" and as "Campo de Santa Clara", which served as a military training area for the garrison of the barracks on the site of the old Franciscan monastery.

In the late 19th century the only decoration was a central pavilion and a series of black poplars. This temple, from 1879 and the work of José Felipe de la Rosa, is defined as "a large triumphal arch with four pillars, made of wood and canvas, also with marble and jasper, which implied a great novelty ".

In 1959, the city council organized a competition to regenerate it, winning Fernández Rodríguez, Roda Calamita and Toledo Díaz, opting for a grandiose square, smooth and with uniform paving . Work began in 1962. The pavilion was demolished and the square was paved with tiles, alternating white, pink and green, with stone benches on the sides.

In September 1962 , engineer Carlos Díaz López presented the project for the installation of a light source and public lighting. The fountain, made of artificial stone, consisted of a central upper bowl, raised above the level of the road and installed in an artificial lake surrounded by grass.

In 1998 a renovation was carried out which included the construction of an underground parking garage, the removal of the fountain and resurfacing with Catalan plate.

In December 2007, the municipal market was temporarily installed in the Plaza del Cristo, which still stands in the same location today (2024).

It is a must for hikers because, away from the hustle and bustle of the city, there is a lot of peace and quiet. However , this peace that characterizes the square is broken once a year, in September, when the popular Fiestas del Cristo are celebrated there.

Willem Vandenameele