Tribute to the Carpet Maker

The tribute to the carpet maker, in La Orotava

The tribute to the carpet maker is a statue of La Orotava that honours the craftsmen of the famous Corpus Christi carpets. The La Orotava audio-guided tour stops here to evoke this work, a symbol of a unique tradition transmitted from generation to generation.

The statue of the craftsman of the Corpus Christi carpets

At the entrance of the square, you discover the statue of a kneeling man, who seems to work with application on something on the ground. It is the tribute to the carpet maker, these craftsmen called the alfombristas, who make the fame of La Orotava. Each year, during Corpus Christi, they make with remarkable patience and meticulousness great ephemeral carpets, composed of coloured sands coming from the Teide volcano and flower petals, which cover the streets and the squares of the town. These ground works of art, representing religious scenes and ornamental motifs of great beauty, require a know-how transmitted from generation to generation and a considerable work, to last only the time of the procession. The statue pays tribute to these anonymous craftsmen and to this unique tradition. A witness of the living heritage of the town, the tribute to the carpet maker is a touching stop of La Orotava.

What to see

You admire the statue of a kneeling man working on the ground, a tribute to the alfombristas, the craftsmen who make each year, during Corpus Christi, the great ephemeral carpets of coloured Teide sands and flower petals that cover the town, the fruit of a know-how transmitted from generation to generation. The tribute to the carpet maker celebrates a unique tradition of La Orotava. It is a touching stop, to be explored on foot.

Practical information

The tribute to the carpet maker lies at the entrance of a square, in the heart of La Orotava, reachable on foot. It is an open-air statue, freely visible. You discover it during a walk in the old town; the famous carpets are made during Corpus Christi.

Who are the alfombristas honoured in La Orotava?

The craftsmen who make each year, during Corpus Christi, the great ephemeral carpets of La Orotava, composed of coloured Teide sands and flower petals; the statue pays tribute to their know-how, transmitted from generation to generation.

Where is the tribute to the carpet maker of La Orotava?

At the entrance of a square, in the heart of La Orotava, in Tenerife, in Spain.