Virgin of Candelaria, Roman Catholic shrine in Candelaria, Tenerife, Spain.
The Virgin of Candelaria is a Black Madonna housed in a basilica on Tenerife, serving as the most important pilgrimage site across the Canary Islands. The current church was completed in 1959 and contains a marble statue that replaced the lost original from the late 14th century.
Guanche herders found the original statue in 1392 on Chimisay beach, before the Castilian conquest of the island. A tsunami destroyed the statue in 1826, which led to the creation of the current work by sculptor Fernando Estévez.
The statue holds the infant Jesus on her right arm and carries a candle in her left hand, which gave her the name Candelaria. Pilgrims from across the Canary Islands come here to venerate the Black Madonna, who has served as protector of the archipelago for centuries.
The basilica receives visitors daily except on Monday morning and offers several services each week. The square in front of the church provides open views toward the sea, and parking areas are located near the town center.
Nine bronze statues stand in front of the basilica and depict the last kings of the Guanche who once ruled Tenerife. These figures gaze toward the sea as if they were still guarding the island.
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