After the conquest more than 100 years elapsed for the central area between the Orotava Valley and the areas of the Acentejo Battles to be called «Site of the Lady Santa Úrsula». Around us, we find the oldest buildings such as the church of Saint Ursula, Virgin and Martyr, built in 1612, the place that gives the town its name; the town hall, popularly known as «Old Town Hall» (18th century), located in what was the old grain exchange of the municipality, used as a town hall since 1812; and finally, the square itself built at the beginning of the 20th century and which has undergone modifications and changes since then.
Its age, subjected to much change over the centuries, dates back to the time of the founding of the parish church (17th century). Popularly known as «La Plaza» (The Square) or «Plaza de la Iglesia» (Church Square) it has since been a place of proclamations, announcements, celebrations and an active nucleus of municipal life.
In the second half of the 19th century the square was traversed by the provincial main road and it wouldn’t be until 1923, due to the slowness of the process of modifying its course, that the inner part was fenced and landscaped. This work was entrusted by the mayor Don Antonio García Gutiérrez to the town council’s Decoration Commission at the beginning of the 20th century, who in turn commissioned the project prepared by Don Antonio Martín Núñez. It was finally carried out in June 1930, when the remodelling of the provincial main road was resolved. Through tender, the job was given to the contractor Don Pedro Abrante García for a value of 6,855 pesetas plus 2,350 pesetas for the cost of the balustrade and the walls.
The Santa Úrsula Carnival
They have their origin in what we know as Winter Festivities where the young and not so young had fun rolled up in blankets and their faces covered to go to the houses of the residents of the municipality to ask for pastries, sweets or food of any kind for the days leading up to Lent. Later, with the current carnivals, Santa Úrsula joined modernity and began to celebrate its own carnival events, after the largest of the island, currently having a Coso Apotheosis parade and a masked ball on the weekends after the Carnival Piñata.
Easter Week in Santa Úrsula
This is one of the cultural events of a religious nature in the municipality which highlights the great heritage of the town. As in any municipality in the Canary Islands with a relevant history, Easter also has its place.
During two weeks of events, emotion and heritage combine. To the rhythm of processional marches interpreted by the Ernesto Beteta Musicial-Cultural Association, the different statues, which the parish of Saint Ursula, Virgin and Martyr possesses, processions are celebrated through the main streets and old roads, such as happens on Good Friday with the prayer of the Via Crucis in the early morning and the ceremony of the Holy Burial of Christ in the evening. (More information)
Corpus Christi in Santa Úrsula
The ephemeral art of the street-carpet maker can be appreciated in the streets of Santa Úrsula during the festivities of Corpus Christi, when groups from the parish of Saint Ursula, Virgin and Martyr and several groups of citizens decorate the route of the next day’s Corpus Christi procession along the town square and its surroundings. During this festival the silver pyx, brought from Cuba in the 18th century, is brought forth at midday accompanied by the musical band of the Musicial-Cultural Association Ernesto Beteta. (More information)
Festival of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Originally they were celebrated on different days; first the Heart of Jesus on the Friday after the Corpus Christi festival, and then Our Lady of Mount Carmel on the day of her festival (July 16th). The festival of the Heart of Jesus first went to the district of Farrobillo, later to the district of La Vera, and is one of the most beautiful and colourful processions of Santa Úrsula; while that of Our Lady of Mount Carmel made its route through the streets of the old town, until in the 90s both processions merged, and the original festival of the Sacred Heart of Jesus was lost.
Festivities in honour of our patron Saint Ursula, Virgin and Martyr, and Our Lady of the Holy Rosary
After the summer heat and its festivities, the month of October arrives, the month in which the town’s Patron Saint Festivities are celebrated. These festivals, as we know them, have been celebrated since 1614, adding in the most recent years, (since the beginning of the 20th century), the events that make it up today. It is an endearing moment for everyone who lives in the town. The month of October commemorates the founding of Santa Úrsula and brings families together in their homes.
Festivities of Saint Andrew
In November, around the 30th of that month, the locals celebrate “castañadas” where, among other activities, roasted chestnuts are prepared, the most important being the one organised by the town council on the town square. Private parties also take place where local wine and chestnuts are central to the festivities, as well as the youngest of the municipality who play with their home made toys, running around and making the rattling noises which are characteristic of this endearing event.
Municipal Cinema Theatre
From the beginning of the 20th century, the locals experience favourable progress when in 1920 the Santa Úrsula Casino Society and in 1924 the Santa Úrsula Lyceum are created. Following these initiatives, theatre plays are performed by a group of enthusiasts called “Cuadro Aristico Unión 21 de Octubre de Santa Úrsula”.
Subsequently, the late construction of the municipal cinema attracted spectators, since films were shown, which appealed to people until the rapid rise of television and radio caused the installation to be primarily used for conferences, talks, concerts, plays, etc.
The Town Hall of Santa Úrsula
At the beginning of 1996 the buildings that existed on a municipal plot of land were demolished, preparing the first measures for the current town hall. Construction took 2 years and the architect was Don Luis García Mesa.
It was inaugurated in March of 1998 with Don Fernando Luis González as mayor. It is currently the main site of municipal institutions.
The Historical Town Hall of Santa Úrsula (The Old Town Hall)
It wasn’t until the 19th century that Santa Úrsula, like most towns in Tenerife, had a municipal administration. During the previous century, from 1497, the municipality was regulated by the “Cabildo”, the Island Council. But this did not prevent the work of the mayor’s office from being carried out in different places, especially in the parochial surroundings, until, after the Constitution of Cádiz, it was housed in the building of the corn exchange (La Alhóndiga), where conflicts and neighbourhood problems had already been resolved since 1782, known by the locals as the Old Town Hall, today converted into municipal offices.
The Municipal Cemetery
It must have existed since 1787, but burials continued to be held in the church until the mid-nineteenth century, despite the fact that the Santa Úrsula City Council already owned the land to locate it since the beginning of this century.
In 1866 this municipal service was put into operation, after numerous problems to occupy the plot, leaving it for burials, which were effectively a common grave. With the growth of the population in the 20th century and the construction of family graves, it ended up requiring numerous extensions and constructions, which have been transforming its appearance over the years and which have given rise to the current site.
Parish of Saint Úrsula, Virgin and Martyr
On June 9th of 1612 the Beneficed Doña María Gallegos and representatives of the district until then known as La Corujera met in the parish of La Orotava to establish the parish of Santa Úrsula.
From the beginning the building was designed with a Latin cross layout. Inside are the most important works of art of the municipality such as the statue of Saint Ursula and the statue of Our Lady of the Rosary (17th century), in addition to pictorial works such as the Holy Trinity and Our Lady of Mercy, and works of goldsmithery such as the crowns of the Virgin of the Rosary and her divine infant, and two monstrances of the Holy Sacrament, among others. The building and all the works inside it were declared a Historic-Artistic Monument on February 15th, 1988.
