THE BELOVED LA RECOVA, IN TENERIFE, BOASTS EVOCATIVE ARCHITECTURE AND PLENTY OF AWARDS. by JP Zurdo We’re partly in Africa, partly in Europe and partly in America… so we must be in the Canary Islands, in Santa Cruz de Tenerife to be precise, and the market here really has a soul. Not just any old building is awarded with a golden medal by local government and the city, as if it were a living being. And not just any old market has The Guardian declare it as one of the ten best markets in the world, for the incredible color and range of its produce, the vibrancy of its patrons, its beautiful floral displays and of course, its stunning architecture. Neo-Canarian architecture - a blend of old village-style Ten-erife, an air of South American Colonial and Maghrebian fortress, with a Moorish-revival tower and three courtyards, connected by arcaded galleries. The project was drawn up by Enrique Marrero, the architect who best expresses that eclectic blend of Baroque, Vernacular and Rationalist. It was then built by Entrecanales y Távora, begin-ning in August 1942, with three shifts put in every 24 hours, in order to fulfill the contract, or rather meet the challenge, of com-pleting the build in six months. And they managed it, except for a few finishing touches here and there, due to the general lack of available materials in the forties. It was almost lost in the nineties due to competition from larg-er outlets, but the stallholders, the community and the city came together to keep it alive. Another challenge completed. Today it’s recognized as being an official piece of Cultural Heritage, in the Monuments category, as logical a cultural destination as a beach, and a true piece of emotional heritage.