Hermitage of San Marcos Evangelista (Our Lady of the Kings)

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria · Category: Architecture · Subcategory: Religious architecture · Year: 1527

This hermitage of San Marcos, which later changed its dedication to Our Lady of the Kings, was one of the oldest religious foundations in the city. Construction began in 1526 at the southern end of the town, at the end of the old Water Street, and it was inaugurated the following year, still unfinished.

The erection of this small sanctuary was due to the local population asking for the intercession of San Marcos so that “… the Lord would appease and lift the pestilence from the island ” that was devastating the community at that time. Shortly after the works began, it is known that wood was ordered from Tenerife for its roofing; however, as time passed and the work was not completed, in 1531 the Cathedral Chapter transferred administration and construction to Antón Pérez Cabeza, sacristan of the San Marcos brotherhood, to finish it through alms and contributions from the neighbours. 

It was erected, like almost all constructions of this type, as a single-nave building, with an arch at the presbytery and a Mudéjar-style roof; with a lintelled doorway on its main façade.  

This construction was completely destroyed in 1599 after the invasion and sack of the city by the Dutch fleet commanded by Pieter van der Does. It was rebuilt in 1610 under the auspices of the León-Castillo Tamariz family, and at that time a carving of Our Lady of the Kings was commissioned from Seville, replaced in 1794 by the current one we can see today. 

Currently, the temple preserves inside a rich artistic heritage from the 16th and 17th centuries. Notably, the images of San Marcos and San Agustín, made of gilded wood and among the oldest on the island; and two spectacular Baroque altarpieces. Additionally, on both sides of the main altar there are two beautiful 17th-century paintings, canvases of Sevillian workmanship. One depicts the Adoration of the Shepherds and the other the Adoration of the Kings.  

The exterior of the building has been considerably altered over the centuries, particularly the original roof and the bell gable.

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