Cave of Chinguaro facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cave-Shrine of Chinguaro |
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Cueva de Chinguaro
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Roman Catholic Church |
| District | Diocese of San Cristóbal de La Laguna |
| Province | Archdiocese of Seville |
| Rite | Roman |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Shrine |
| Location | |
| Location | Güímar, Spain. |
| Architecture | |
| Architectural type | church |
The Cave-Shrine of Chinguaro is a special cave and a Roman Catholic church. It is found in a town called Güímar on the island of Tenerife. Tenerife is one of the Canary Islands in Spain.
This cave was once a very important place. It was the traditional home or "palace" of Acaimo. He was the king of the Guanches in the area of Güímar. The Guanches were the first people to live on the Canary Islands.
Long ago, the Guanches used this cave to worship their goddess, Chaxiraxi. Their traditional beliefs were similar to those of the Berber people in North Africa.
After the Spanish took over the Canary Islands, they started to use the cave differently. Spanish priests believed that an ancient statue found there looked like the Virgin Mary. So, they moved this statue to another cave, the Cave of Achbinico, in a town called Candelaria.
This new cave became the first Christian holy place for the Virgin of Candelaria. It was the first time a Christian statue was placed in a Guanche holy site. However, most of the native people still followed their old traditions for a long time.
Scientists have studied the Chinguaro cave and found it to be very important for history. They found layers of ash inside the cave. By using a method called carbon-dating, they learned that some of this ash is over 3,000 years old. This shows that people lived in and used this cave for a very long time.
See also
In Spanish: Chinguaro para niños
More Information
- Cueva de Chinguaro
