Suddenly, the sun blazes. Here we stand before the Reloj de Sol Sculpture in Fuerteventura. It is one of over a hundred sculptures. These sculptures are dotted around Puerto del Rosario. It’s an initiative. It is meant to turn the town into an open-air art gallery.
Puerto del Rosario is the capital of Fuerteventura. Guidebooks don’t say much about it. Lonely Planet calls it a strange city with no discernible center. But I like Puerto del Rosario. It’s got an honest relaxed workaday charm.
The Reloj de Sol Sculpture is part of an official trail. Some sculptures are marked on an official trail. Others you just stumble across. Maybe it was because of some of the more surreal examples that Lonely Planet dubbed it a strange city.
In the early 2000s, there was an initiative. It turned the town into a sculpture park. Most of the murals can be found along Wall Street.
I traveled to Puerto del Rosario on the public bus. When I arrived at the bus station I appeared to be in the middle of nowhere. Leaving the bus station I was looking for clues regarding the whereabouts of the town center. All I could see was a huge sculpture in the middle of a roundabout. I had noticed a few of these as we got nearer the town. I was soon to discover the decoration of roundabouts.
The sculptures tell the world their story. Walking around Puerto del Rosario, I have gained a tremendously rich impression. It shows what is important to Fuerteventura. It shows what is important to the majoreros and their cultural identity. They live quietly and modestly behind the scenes. They let all this street sculpture tell their story for them.
Every time I walk around Puerto del Rosario I discover something new. I walked to the end of my street Calle León y Castillo. It took me straight down to the commercial port. The day was warm. It was a public holiday so the city was empty. Everyone was sleeping off the Carnaval celebrations.
I’ve been passing this iconic roundabout sculpture for weeks now. It’s called the three bums roundabout in English. It is called Rotonda de las Culonas in Spanish. It is a symbol of unity.
I was on the hunt for sculpture. Through it, the majoreros are telling the world some of their story. My sculpture hunt was sidetracked. I passed by this building. British travel writer Olivia Stone came on a tour of the Canary Islands with her husband in the 1880s. Her travel diary Tenerife and Its Six Satellites is well worth a read. When researching Clarissa’s Warning, I discovered she had stayed in this building. This building is in a prime location at the end of Calle León y Castillo. Something grand should be done here.
On this corner is another roundabout sculpture. It is called Fuente de la Explanada. It expresses the traditional values of the island. The promenade along the port contains a long row of sculptures.
That’s the beauty of going on a sculpture trail in Puerto del Rosario. It is a unique experience. The Reloj de Sol Sculpture is a testament to the city’s commitment to art. It enhances its urban landscape. It provides visitors with a unique cultural experience. As you explore, let the Reloj de Sol Sculpture inspire you. Let it connect you to the heart of Fuerteventura.