REAL SANTUARIO DEL CRISTO

It was the headquarters of the Franciscan Order in Tenerife with the name of Convent of San Miguel de las Victorias, being the second oldest temple in La Laguna after the Church of Concepcion and the first Franciscan convent in Tenerife.

Its foundation dates from the moment immediately after the conquest of the island, between February and March of the year 1506.

The first building was in front of the current one, on the Cerro del Bronco, but before 1520 it had been moved to the final site. At this time, in full construction of the Convent, the first Adelantado decides to be buried in the main chapel of his church. Because the income and income received by the Franciscans were scarce and the building depended on the alms donated by the parishioners, the works were extended many years. Because of this, it was not until the end of the 16th century that the church could be completed and the will of the Adelantado fulfilled.

The construction of the structure of the convent is completed in 1580 by Francisco de Heras and Diego Rodr guez. Also by this time the construction of the church is dated.

During the eighteenth century the works focused on the extension of the Convent, however, the floods of the night of January 24, 1713 seriously affected the convent building being repaired thanks to the help of the Cabildo. After the reforms and extensions that the perimeter was undergoing, the emblematic figure of Christ was becoming increasingly important.

A century later, specifically on July 28, 1810, a fire virtually destroyed the entire convent and church, although its most important images were saved. In a single year the necessary funds were obtained and a chapel was built by Father Fray Antonio Tejera. Such a chapel is what we know today, which houses the figure of Christ, a stature that some authors date back to the end of the 15th century.

Other images contained in the chapel are La Virgen de Candelaria, La Inmaculada, Santa Barbara, San Antonio de Padua, La Virgen de las Mercedes, La Virgen del Rosario, Ni o Jes s, Santa Rosa de Viterbo, San Pedro, San Francisco de As s, Cristo Buen Pastor and San Juan Evangelista.

After the exclaustration, the site of the convent happens in 1839 to house a headquarters of the Provincial Militia Regiment and a military use that was maintained until the year 2000, following the ownership of the property in the hands of the Ministry of Defense.

Today, the Royal Sanctuary of Christ is considered a Site of Cultural Interest, categorized as a Monument since 1986.