Hermitage of Los Remedios

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria · Category: Memory · Subcategory: Memory spaces · Year: 1516

The history of this old hermitage, now disappeared, begins as early as 1499, when the governor of Canaria, Lope Sánchez de Valenzuela, in recognition to the Virgin for having freed him from captivity imposed by Berber pirates, set out to build a hermitage on a plot of his property, located on a height on the left bank of the Guiniguada ravine. 

After the governor's death, it was Juan de Porras y Sosa, treasurer and canon of the Cathedral, who began the works of the small temple, although the wealthy neighbour Alonso de la Rosa completed its main chapel around 1515.

The hermitage consisted of a single nave with a Mudejar coffered ceiling and two doorways; the main one faced a small square; the secondary faced the edge of the ravine.

In the mid-16th century, to overcome the great slope of the place where it was located, the new governor Zurbarán ordered the construction of steps to provide access both to the square, which now served as a small market, and to the hermitage. Immediately afterwards, the Los Remedios enclosure was beautified with various ornaments; such was the case of five beautiful tapestries that served as decoration for the most important festivities. 

The hermitage was completely destroyed in the Dutch attack on the city at the end of the 16th century. It was necessary to wait until around 1650 for its reconstruction. From that moment on, a sacristy was added and an altar dedicated to Saint Nicholas of Bari was installed in the main chapel.

By the end of the 18th century, after having been a place of great devotion and prayers, the hermitage began to threaten ruin, so in March 1836 it was demolished to make way for new urban plans in this important area of the city.

28.10275, -15.41472