Since 1784, the main symbol of El Vendrell is the angel of the bell tower. It represents the archangel Raphael, the angel of Tobias, and acts as a vane. It was built of the copper plate by the silversmith Josep Romeu, together with the boiler Josep Dalmau. It has only taken down to be restored three times, and all of them have been celebrated by the city with great enthusiasm. It has always coincided with years ending in eight: 1928, 1958 and 1998.
In 1784, a group of people from the city went to Vilanova i la Geltrú and took it to El Vendrell, where it was received by grallas and all the people of the city. It was installed on 6th August at the top of the bell tower of the church.
In 1811, the French military mutilated his right leg, shooting it. In 1859, a windstorm took off one of its wings. The remaining wing also fell in 1885 for the same reason. It was damaged until 1928, when the restoration work began, financed by resident vendors from outside the village and headed by Ángel Mercadé Rigual, a medical resident in Reus.
Thirty years later, in 1958, the angel suffered damages that prevented him from its role as a weather vane. It was proposed to fix it from its position by helicopter. A group of people, along with a Centre for Initiatives and Tourism got in touch with the United States Air Force based in Zaragoza, which they accepted to help them. On October 16th October, during the fair Fira de Santa Teresa, the angel was retired and strolled around the city. It was returned back to the bell tower on 30th November of the same year.The third time it was taken down was also for maintenance work.
