The town is noted by Catholics in Spain and Latin America as a place of veneration of the Virgin of Candelaria, the patron of the Canary Islands.

A sacred cave is situated near Candelaria that is believed to have been a place of indigenous worship for more than 3,000 years.

In 1390, the area of Candelaria was a solitary, deserted place where the Guanche of Güimar's menceyato (Güímar's pre-Hispanic kingdom) kept livestock for grazing.

The Guanche told of moving the rock image to the Cave of Chinguaro, the palace of the King of Güímar.

The Spanish clergy took over August 15 to celebrate the Catholic Virgin Mary, stating that she had appeared to the people on those two dates.

Candelaria's municipality hosts the annual peregrination of the Virgin (on February 2 and on August 15; the latter is the most important as the Patron Saint's Day).

Later with the increase in the number of pilgrims and worshippers, the church decided to build the current basilica, which has capacity for 5,000 persons.

The Royal Basilica Marian Shrine of Our Lady of Candelaria is considered the main temple dedicated to the Virgin Mary in the Canary Islands.

According to recent archaeological studies, layers of ash left by previous indigenous peoples have been carbon-14 dated to more than three thousand years.

It appears that the people maintained a permanent fire, perhaps similar to that of the Vestal Virgins of ancient Rome.

On one side of the square are statues of the nine 'kings' who ruled the nine aboriginal guanches menceyatos (pre-Hispanic kingdoms) of Tenerife.