The evolving architecture of Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Concepción

Located in the municipality of Los Realejos in Tenerife, the Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Concepción is a protected historical monument. Its current configuration was constructed between 1697 and 1701, expanding upon an earlier hermitage dedicated to Santa María. This previous structure dates back to at least 1516 and originally belonged to the Church of Santiago de Taoro. In 1533, the site was granted parish status, becoming an independent community.

The construction utilized stone from the cantera del camino de Icod, stone from La Dehesa for the cornices, and more than two hundred losas from Los Cristianos for the remainder of the structure. A sacristy was added in 1790 to house the church's furniture and valuables. This expansion gave the temple the characteristic features of 18th-century Canarian churches, including a main chapel connected to side sacristies and a posterior chamber, joined to three naves with lateral chapels.

These lateral chapels feature the typical Mudejar-style roofing characteristic of Canarian religious architecture. The three chapels of La Concepción are separated by arcades that incorporate two lateral chapels in the central nave, modifying the symmetry of the temple. The current portals are representative of the Canarian style. One, located at a lower level, features a Gothic design with a conopial arch. Two of the three portals are very similar, featuring pilasters and entablatures with Plateresque decorations, while the third pilaster features recessed blocks giving it a unique appearance.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons