The emblematic school in María Jiménez, located in the neighborhood at the gates of Anaga, has been transformed into the social headquarters of the children's murga Sofocados, an institution founded forty-four years ago by Jesús Manuel Tosco Lorenzo, known as ‘El Compi’. The rehabilitation of this infrastructure, which served as the murga's headquarters for years despite its precarious conditions, has lasted one year and involved an investment of approximately half a million euros.
The Councilor for Heritage, Javier Rivero, highlighted the care put into the works and the adherence to deadlines, emphasizing the importance of nurturing the Carnival's talent pool. The building is expected to be handed over at the end of July, once the final electrical installations are completed, allowing the murga to begin rehearsals for the 2027 Carnival.
The project has comprehensively restored the building, preserving its value within the collective memory of the neighborhood. The interior has been redesigned to include a spacious, accessible rehearsal room on the ground floor, equipped with an adapted bathroom, and several rooms for workshops, sewing, and storage on the upper floor. The intervention was carried out in close collaboration with the management of Sofocados to adapt the spaces to their needs.
One of the main rooms pays tribute to Jesús Tosco, founder of Sofocados, who passed away almost twenty-four years ago, with a fresco that presides over the space. The recovery of the old school not only modernizes the facilities but also strengthens the social cohesion of the neighborhood, offering children a space for coexistence and personal growth.
The children's murga, which rehearsed temporarily at the Neighborhood Association's headquarters during the works, will regain a space designed specifically for them. The official inauguration is expected to coincide with July 25th, the date commemorating the passing of ‘El Compi’, consolidating this place as the home for future generations of murgueros.
