The Church of Santo Domingo de Guzmán

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

The primitive Dominican convent was founded in 1522 next to the hermitage of San Pedro Mártir, and was erected by Spanish conquerer Pedro de Vera. Following two expropriation processes, the convent complex disappeared and part of the cloister is now sited at the Casa de Colón museum. In 1841, Obispo Romo made the church of Santo Domingo de Guzmán a parish church, and it has recently undergone refurbishment.

This 17th century church has a Latin cross layout, made up of three naves, the central one being double the width of the side naves. The transept ends with two side chapels: the square shaped Epístola, El Rosario, a rectangular structure. At the foot of the nave is a choir area with a ballustrade and steps with a highly decorative wooden pattern. The naves are separated by arches over columns, and are covered by a barrel vault under a frame; the latter can be seen in the sacristy. There is a side entrance from the square, while the main façade closes the north facing side of the temple, adjoining one of the side naves. The stonework between two pillasters forms an alfiz arch and moldings down the sides, a decking and a split frontis, out of which rises the second narrower body with a niche, rounded off by a polylobed frontis. To the right of this there is an entrance to the adjoining college of San Antonio, above which stands the bell tower, also in blue stone, with its first body with a curved arch doorway, and a second thick one with a coat of arms, and a third, with the belfry.

28.098543, -15.415905