The Councilor for Historical Heritage, Inmaculada Blázquez, has raised a motion from her department to the Plenary Session of the City Council of Totana, for discussion at the ordinary session in November, so that the name change is made and that currently known as "Fuente Juan of Uzeta "happens to be denominated" Source of the Square ", as it has been known traditionally.
In addition, the proposal includes a cycle of activities to publicize Silvestre Martínez Teruel and his extensive facet as an architect, engineer, painter and sculptor, who left us important works that are still today iconic of our history and heritage .
In the same way, it is advocated to grant him his just recognition as the author of the design, layout and direction of the Fuente de la Plaza, which for centuries supplied drinking water to the inhabitants of the urban area.
According to the councilor's motion, for some years now, there has been a controversy surrounding the designation of the iconic Baroque totanero monument that accompanies the Tower of Santiago in a unique image that forms an urban ensemble of great artistic and cultural value.
Researchers and lovers of the cultural and monumental heritage of our municipality, have begun to translate this claim publicly.
At present, the fountain is named after one of the collaborators in its execution, the sculptor from Lorca, Juan de Uzeta, who executed the ornamental element that is located in the highest part of the fountain;
being the true architect of the entire project, its design, layout and construction management, totanero Silvestre Martínez Teruel.
Despite being the architect of this and other important works in the municipality, which we enjoy today, Silvestre Martínez Teruel is a great unknown to the people of Totana.
It was not always so, since in his time, he enjoyed great consideration and respect, so much so that, in one of the minutes of the Council Plenary of the early eighteenth century, he was named and defined as "very remarkable person, of great value and skill in all kinds of jobs. "
Silvestre Martínez Teruel was a man of the Renaissance in the eighteenth century, because he brilliantly exercised all the facets of an architect, engineer, painter and sculptor.
Among his works we can distinguish the layout of the hydraulic network that led the water supply from the source of La Carrasca to the Plaza de Totana, with a layout of more than 17 kilometers.
In addition, he designed and built the viaducts of the route, including the imposing Arco de la Rambla, and to complete its infrastructure, design and directed the works of the Baroque fountain of the town square.
In his pictorial work are the paintings of the Dressing Room and Altarpiece of the Sanctuary of La Santa, as well as numerous chapels of the Church of Santiago and San Roque.
For all this, and coinciding with the moment of the restoration of one of his most emblematic works in the urban environment of Totana, such as La Fuente de la Plaza, it is the ideal moment to put Silvestre Martínez Teruel in the high place that corresponds, both in the history of Totana and in the knowledge and appreciation of all totaneros.
And although it is not necessary to give his name to the Source, it is necessary to recognize him as the author of his design, layout and direction, and to leave the rest of the participants as worthy collaborators of his.
This baroque monument was built in the 18th century and is located as part of an urban ensemble of great artistic and cultural value.
For a while now, signs of an advanced degenerative state have been observed in the monument, with evident aesthetic degradation and problems of water flow.
This is the work of totanero Silvestre Martínez Teruel, and is part of an urban group of great artistic and cultural value that also served to provide drinking water for the population.
This is an iconic reference element for Totana that was designed by totanero Silvestre Martínez Teruel, a versatile character of his time who is attributed other important works in the municipality.
