Santa Cruz Masonic Temple Reopens After €3M Renovation; Mayor Seeks Artifacts
Santa Cruz de Tenerife's Masonic Temple reopens as a museum next Monday after a €3 million renovation, with the mayor requesting Canarian Masonic artifacts from the Archive of Salamanca to enhance the exhibits.
The Masonic Temple in Santa Cruz de Tenerife is reopening next Monday with a ceremony at 5:00 p.m. After being closed for about three years for renovations, this beautiful building is finally ready to open as a museum and information center about Freemasonry, as reported back in September.
With the reopening just around the corner, the city's mayor, José Manuel Bermúdez, has asked the Archive of Salamanca to loan documents and items from Canarian Masonic lodges. He made the request after meeting with Fernando Martínez, the Secretary of State for Democratic Memory. In his letter, the mayor specifically requested items like documents and objects related to the Añaza Lodge, including their standard (number 270) and jewels. He believes these are held in the Archive and would be perfect for display.
The renovations, which started in 2022, cost around 3 million euros. The money came from the Spanish government, the Canary Islands government, and the Santa Cruz city council, which owns the building. The work has restored this important piece of history, and now the mayor wants to add interesting artifacts to it. He included a list of items believed to be in the Archive of Salamanca, based on historical records.
He also mentioned that he's not just asking for items from the Añaza lodge, which was behind the Temple's construction, but also from all Canarian lodges whose records are in Salamanca. He believes displaying these materials will help people learn about and appreciate a key part of the region's democratic history, while also boosting the city's cultural appeal for tourists.
After the opening, the Masonic Temple will be open for guided tours (except on Mondays). Tours will be held on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., and on Wednesdays and Fridays from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. You can book a tour through https://santacruzcultura.es or on their Instagram or Facebook pages (SoyCulturaSC).