Los Perros de La Plaza de Santa Ana (The Dogs of Santa Ana Square), Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

"The Dogs of Santa Ana Square" are iconic sculptures that adorn the historic Plaza de Santa An. Crafted from cast iron by the French sculptor Alfred Jacquemar in 1895, these sculptures have become enduring symbols of the city's cultural heritage. Jacquemar's initials, "AJ," can still be seen on the sculptures, adding to their historical significance.

The origins of these sculptures are steeped in intriguing lore and legend. One account suggests that Mayor Felipe Massieu accepted them as a gift from a French ship that made a stop in Las Palmas while en route to South Africa. Grateful for the city's assistance with certain issues encountered during its journey, the ship left behind these statues, which were originally intended to adorn urban centers in Africa. Another hypothesis proposes that the dogs were donated by James, one of the sons of Thomas Miller, a prominent British businessman in Gran Canaria.

In a traditional fable titled "Faycán," penned by writer Víctor Doreste in 1944, these unique sculptures were given names and characters. Alongside the protagonist, Faycán, a Canarian breed dog reflecting on its life, Doreste named seven other dogs represented by the sculptures in Santa Ana Square. These names include Aterura, Mogano, Doramas, Tindaya, Bentayga, Tenoya, and Tirajano.