Church of the Conception (Santa Cruz)

Updated 2 August 2026

Main and oldest church of Santa Cruz de TenerifeTower with four prismatic sections topped by an octagonal drum (1786), symbol of the cityOnly five-nave church in the Canary Islands, Baroque style

The Church of Nuestra Señora de la Concepción is the mother parish and the oldest temple in Santa Cruz de Tenerife: its construction began around 1499-1500 on the chapel built after the conquest, and around 1634-1638 it changed its original dedication from the Holy Cross to the Conception. After a fire in 1652, it was rebuilt, and the current temple stands out for being the only five-nave church in the Canary Islands, the result of successive expansions, with a Latin cross plan, Tuscan columns, semicircular arches, and coffered ceilings of Mudejar tradition. Its bell tower, completed in 1786, consists of several prismatic bodies topped by an octagonal drum and is one of the great symbols of the city.

Inside, it houses the Foundational Cross that the adelantado Alonso Fernández de Lugo raised upon landing and which gives the city its name, as well as the titular image of the Immaculate Conception. It was declared a Site of Cultural Interest, in the category of Monument, by Decree of July 28, 1983.

Gallery

Church of Nuestra Señora de la Concepción in Santa Cruz de Tenerife with its emblematic bell tower. — Diego Delso (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Facade of the Iglesia de la Concepción in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. — Carlos Teixidor Cadenas (CC BY 4.0)

Bell tower of the Iglesia de la Concepción seen from the Museum, in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. — Axel Cotón Gutiérrez (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Exterior view of the Church of Nuestra Señora de la Concepción in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. — Koppchen (CC BY 3.0)

Essential information

Accessibility

It is located in the Plaza de la Iglesia, in the historic center of Santa Cruz, just a few minutes' walk from the Plaza de España. By public transport, the nearest tram stop is Fundación (Line 1), on Bravo Murillo Avenue next to the Cabildo. It does not have its own parking, but there is public parking at the Mercado de Nuestra Señora de África, about a ten-minute walk away. The main access through the tower-porch has steps, which may hinder access for people with reduced mobility.