Iglesia de San Agustin — Attraction in La Orotava

The corner façade in front of you joins the San Agustín Church, on the left, with the former convent of Nuestra Señora de Gracia, which is currently the San Agustín Culture House. The Augustinians started to build this convent and the adjoining church in the late 17thcentury, on the hill occupied until then by the San Roque Chapel.

The church suffered serious structural damage and was plundered of much of its works of art and altarpieces in the 19th century, after the Spanish Confiscation. A complete restoration was carried out recently that restored part of its original splendour. Look at the great height of the perimeter walls of this temple, which added to its elevated location, make this church visible from almost all of La Orotava. It’s an attempt at religious pomp tied to the typical ideology of the Augustinian order, which enjoyed the support of La Orotava's wealthy families.

A highlight on the facade is its central portal with two bodies, made in stone in a classicist cut. You can see sumptuous ceilings inside.

To the right of the church you can see the former Augustinian convent, which after the Spanish Confiscation was converted into a military barracks, causing irreparable damage to its cloister. In the eighties, it underwent another remodelling to become a House of Culture. The only original element of the building is the three-story millstone façade that culminates in a baroque style bell tower. In the middle level, you can find a typical Canarian window crowned by the Augustinian symbol of a heart pierced by the charity arrow, carved in white marble. On the sides, you can see two other reliefs with references to the Virgin Mary and...

The three-aisled "Iglesia San Augustín" is located on the Plaza de la Constitución in the historic center of La Orotava. The church was built between 1671 and 1694 by order of the Augustinian Order on the remains of the former hermitage of San Roque as a monastery church for the Abbey of Nuestra Señora de Gracia. Its three-part, predominantly baroque portal is decorated with Corinthian capitals and palm leaves. The bell tower is made of black lava rock. Worth seeing are the coffered ceiling in the typical Mudejar style, the carved wooden altar and the 17th century Madonna statue Nuestra Señora de Gracia...

My experience visiting was mixed. I had been looking forward to stepping inside and seeing the famous altarpiece and Mudejar ceilings, but unfortunately the church was closed when I arrived. Standing in front of the locked doors was disappointing, especially after making the effort to walk up through the historic streets. The exterior is beautiful and worth a look, but I left with the feeling of having missed the heart of the place. If you plan to visit, I recommend checking the opening times in advance to avoid the same...