Monument to Franco (Santa Cruz de Tenerife)

Instance of public art

Ángel de la Victoria

Location| Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
Coordinates| 28°28′35″N 16°14′47″W﻿ / ﻿28.476406°N 16.246262°W﻿ / 28.476406; -16.246262
Designer| Juan de Ávalos
Material| Bronze, stone
Height| 14 m
Opening date| 17 March 1966
Dedicated to| Francisco Franco

Ángel de la Victoria or the Monument to Victory (Spanish: Monumento a la Victoria), popularly known as el monumento a Franco ("the Monument to Franco"),[1] is an instance of public art located in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain. A work by Juan de Ávalos, the monument was conceived to pay homage to Francisco Franco.

## History and description

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The monument is located at the crossroads of the Rambla de Santa Cruz and the avenida de Anaga.[2]

The bronze sculptural group consists of a winged angel (an allegory of the Dragon Rapide, the airplane that transported Franco from the Canary Islands to the African mainland in order to kickstart the 1936 coup d'état that marked the beginning of the Spanish Civil War) and a "saviour" male figure (representing Franco) standing over the angel while wielding a sword shaped like a Christian cross that points down.[3][4][5][6]

The composition lies on the centre of a near-circular pond with a 30 m maximum diameter.[5] The backside wall partially enclosing both items reaches a maximum height of 14 m.[5]

A work by Juan de Ávalos, it was started in 1964,[7] unveiled on 17 March 1966,[8] and cost around 8.1 million pesetas.[9] It was funded by popular subscription, with 80,000 people donating to construct it, with most donating between 1 and 5 pesetas. It is currently valued at €45 million according to the Juan de Ávalos Foundation.[10][7]

The vandalised monument in 2020

The monument was vandalised in November 2016, covered in red paint and tagged with a graffiti reading antifascismo ("anti-fascism").[3] There is an ongoing effort to remove the monument, based on the enforcing of the Law of Historical Memory. There is also a campaign to keep it in place on the basis of its artistic and cultural value.[11][12][13]

## References

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1. ^ "El PP del Cabildo tinerfeño se opone a la demolición del "Monumento a la Victoria" de Franco en Santa Cruz". eldiario.es. 7 June 2018.
2. ^ "Cuando Tenerife mostró a Franco su "adhesión" con el monumento de Juan de Ávalos". Diario de Avisos. El Español. 16 November 2017.
3. ^ a b "Vandalismo contra el antiguo monumento a Franco". Diario de Avisos. El Español. 6 November 2016.
4. ^ "Un informe externo encargado por Santa Cruz de Tenerife defiende el valor artístico del monumento a Franco". eldiario.es. 15 June 2018.
5. ^ a b c "Una organización solicita la restauración "inmediata" de una escultura dedicada a Franco en Tenerife". eldiario.es. 7 November 2016.
6. ^ Jiménez, Jennifer (18 February 2018). "El monumento a Franco de Santa Cruz de Tenerife, camino de los juzgados". eldiario.es.
7. ^ a b Dávila, Jorge (28 March 2021). "Un debate millonario". eldia.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 August 2021.
8. ^ "El monumento a Franco de Santa Cruz de Tenerife, camino de los juzgados". Diario de Avisos. El Español. 18 February 2018.
9. ^ "El Confidencial Autonómico aporta los nombres de donantes | Monumento". Defendamos Tenerife (in Spanish). 29 March 2021. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
10. ^ "¿Por qué defendemos el monumento El Ángel de la Paz, autoría de Juan de Ávalos?". Defendamos Tenerife (in Spanish). 21 April 2021. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
11. ^ "Defendamos Tenerife | Investigación y protección de nuestro patrimonio". Defendamos Tenerife (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 May 2021.
12. ^ "Vallas publicitarias para salvar a Franco en Tenerife". La Razón (in Spanish). 21 April 2021.
13. ^ Romero, Álvaro (18 April 2021). "Polémica por la valla publicitaria en Tenerife que defiende el valor artístico e histórico del monumento a Franco". elcorreodeespana.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 August 2021.