The Cathedral of La Laguna, and the Santo Domingo

Like you might expect of a Spanish city founded in the 15th century, La Laguna has more than its share of churches. The Catholic Church apparently thought every block needed its own cathedral, convent, or chapel, and walking around town, it’s easy to imagine the outlandish power they must have exercised. We had neither the time nor the inclination to examine every church in town, but did check out both the cathedral, and the Santo Domingo de Guzmán.

Iglesia de Santo Domingo de Guzmán

The first church we visited in La Laguna was the Santo Domingo de Guzmán, probably because it was adjacent to the parking lot we used when visiting town. Originally constructed in 1522, this church is one of the oldest in the city. Parishioners flock here to worship Nuestra Señora del Rosario, an icon that dates from the late 1550s, and which was brought to Tenerife in 1683. Although it’s always impressive to be in a place which is so old, the effect is somewhat diminished by the modern frescoes which adorn the walls, painted in the early 1900s. [Location]

The Cathedral of Nuestra Señora de los Remedios

More impressive in scale than the Santo Domingo, is the Cathedral of La Laguna, dedicated to the Virgin of Los Remedios. There had been a chapel on this site since the early 16th century (believed to have built atop a Guanche necropolis), but the cathedral itself wasn’t constructed until the early 20th century.

While Jürgen darted around the pews and chapels with his camera, I sprung for the audioguide and took a tour. I explored the small museum, which contains fancy vestments and glittery bling, as well as a strangely large collection of Byzantine icons from Eastern Europe. The tour took me into the various side chapels, in front of the stunning central baroque altarpiece dedicated to the Virgin, then up the stairs to the choir, for a higher view over the interior. [Location]