Historic Masonic Temple of Santa Cruz de Tenerife is a

Masonic Temple A Masonic Temple or Masonic Hall is, within Freemasonry, the room or edifice where a Masonic Lodge meets. Masonic Temple may also refer to an abstract spiritual goal and the conceptual ritualistic space of a meeting. Development and history In ...

located in the city of

Santa Cruz de Tenerife Santa Cruz de Tenerife, commonly abbreviated as Santa Cruz (), is a city, the capital of the island of Tenerife, Province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, and capital of the Canary Islands. Santa Cruz has a population of 206,593 (2013) within its admi ...

(

Canary Islands The Canary Islands (; es, Canarias, ), also known informally as the Canaries, are a Spanish autonomous community and archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, in Macaronesia. At their closest point to the African mainland, they are west of Morocc ...

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

), on Calle San Lucas. The building was constructed for use by the Añaza Lodge between 1899 and 1902. It is considered one of the main

Masonic Freemasonry or Masonry refers to Fraternity, fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of Stonemasonry, stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their inte ...

temples in Spain, and the first in the Canary Islands. It is considered the finest example of Masonic Temple in Spain and was the greatest Masonic Temple in Spain before Franco's military occupied the site. The Añaza

Lodge Lodge is originally a term for a relatively small building, often associated with a larger one. Lodge or The Lodge may refer to: Buildings and structures Specific * The Lodge (Australia), the official Canberra residence of the Prime Ministe ...

, The Canary Islands' most important 20th century Masonic lodge, was founded on August 8, 1895. It consolidated rapidly, causing Canary Island Masonry to reorganize in the first part of the century. The building contains strong symbolism, mostly inspired by the architectural tradition of ancient Egypt. The façade is divided into three sections, the central has two huge columns with a plain shaft and palm-leaf capitals, supporting a bulky triangular pediment. In this eye there is a radiant ray, representing the Supreme Being, Great Architect of the Universe according to Masonic symbolism. Flanking each column are two sphinxes (four in total) lying on their stomachs and covered with a

nemes Nemes were pieces of striped head cloth worn by pharaohs in ancient Egypt. It covered the whole crown and behind of the head and nape of the neck (sometimes also extending a little way down the back) and had lappets, two large flaps which hung d ...

. They were carved by the sculptor Compañ Zamorano Guzman (1878–1944). The main door is wood and carved with geometric patterns. The lintel is decorated with palm leaves and a sun with wings of an eagle, symbol of the deity

Horus Horus or Heru, Hor, Har in Ancient Egyptian, is one of the most significant ancient Egyptian deities who served many functions, most notably as god of kingship and the sky. He was worshipped from at least the late prehistoric Egypt until the P ...

. The building stands on an

stereobate In classical Greek architecture, a stylobate ( el, στυλοβάτης) is the top step of the crepidoma, the stepped platform upon which colonnades of temple columns are placed (it is the floor of the temple). The platform was built on a level ...

. The Masonic Temple of Santa Cruz de Tenerife is located at the same latitude (28º north) of the

Saint Catherine's Monastery Saint Catherine's Monastery ( ar, دير القدّيسة كاترين; grc-gre, Μονὴ τῆς Ἁγίας Αἰκατερίνης), officially the Sacred Autonomous Royal Monastery of Saint Katherine of the Holy and God-Trodden Mount Sinai, ...

Mount Sinai Mount Sinai ( he , הר סיני ''Har Sinai''; Aramaic: ܛܘܪܐ ܕܣܝܢܝ ''Ṭūrāʾ Dsyny''), traditionally known as Jabal Musa ( ar, جَبَل مُوسَىٰ, translation: Mount Moses), is a mountain on the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt. It is ...

(

Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...

). This monastery was built in the place where according to the

Old Testament The Old Testament (often abbreviated OT) is the first division of the Christian biblical canon, which is based primarily upon the 24 books of the Hebrew Bible or Tanakh, a collection of ancient religious Hebrew writings by the Israelites. The ...

Moses Moses hbo, מֹשֶׁה, Mōše; also known as Moshe or Moshe Rabbeinu (Mishnaic Hebrew: מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ, ); syr, ܡܘܫܐ, Mūše; ar, موسى, Mūsā; grc, Mωϋσῆς, Mōÿsēs () is considered the most important pro ...

received the

Tables of the Law According to the Hebrew Bible, the Tablets of the Law (also Tablets of Stone, Stone Tablets, or Tablets of Testimony; Biblical Hebrew: לוּחֹת הַבְּרִית ''lûḥōt habbǝrît'' "tablets of the covenant", לֻחֹת הָאֶבֶן ...

. The building it was listed as a Site of cultural interest by the

Government of the Canary Islands A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is a ...

in 2007.

Scottish Rite Masonic Congress 2016

In November 2016 the Masonic international congress ''Convent of the Order'', was held in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. This is an event held annually in different parts of the world and was organized by the Supreme Council of the 33rd Degree of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite for Spain. This conference helped raise funds for the rehabilitation of the Masonic Temple of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The Congress was attended by over 300 members representing 17 of the 57 regular Supreme Councils in the world, emphasising the importance of the event for the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite part of the global Masonic community. During the meeting in the Masonic Temple the act to create the Confederación Iberoamericana de Supremos Consejos (''Latin American Confederation of Supreme Councils'') was signed.Jesús Soriano: "Me emociona venir al templo de la Logia Añaza"
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References

Fonseca House The Fonseca House is a building on the Paseo de Colón in the city of Pontevedra, Spain. It is one of the most impressive historical buildings in the city, distinguished by its neoclassical architecture and by the two stone Sphinxes and two larg ...

External links

Masonic Temple of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Official Website.

Masonería.org – in spanish
{{coord, 28, 28, 08, N, 16, 15, 10, W, region:ES-TF_type:landmark_source:kolossus-dewiki, display=title Masonic buildings completed in 1902 Buildings and structures in Santa Cruz de Tenerife Religious buildings and structures in the Canary Islands Bien de Interés Cultural landmarks in the Province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Scottish Rite Masonic Congress 2016

References

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