Sanctuary of the Christ of La Laguna
Updated 2 August 2026The Royal Sanctuary of the Holy Christ of La Laguna occupies the former Franciscan convent of San Miguel de las Victorias, whose construction was ordered by the Adelantado Alonso Fernández de Lugo in 1506, being the first Franciscan convent in Tenerife. Inside, the statue of the Holy Christ of La Laguna is venerated, one of the most revered images of the archipelago, attributed to the Flemish sculptor Louis Van Der Vule and made of Flemish wood around the 16th century. On the night of July 28, 1810, a severe fire ravaged the building, and only the belfry, the House of Slavery, and the image of Christ itself were saved, with the temple being rebuilt according to traditional Canarian architecture.
The complex is declared a Cultural Interest Site with the category of Monument (2005; file initiated in 2003), and the image of Christ has its own declaration as a Cultural Interest Site in the category of movable property (2001). Every September 14, coinciding with the Exaltation of the Cross, the sanctuary is the center of the multitudinous Christ Festivities, with processions and the traditional fireworks display.
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