Parroquia de Santa Ana

The most striking building in Garachico is the Church of Saint Anne (Parroquia de Santa Ana), whose bell tower can be seen from afar and also serves as a landmark. The lava left the front part of the building intact, the rest of the church has been rebuilt after the disaster.

This main parish is one of the most beautiful and rich temples in the north of Tenerife. Of its original construction, several dates have been postulated and, what is clear, is that in Book No 1 of Visits and Mandates of the benefit of San Pedro de Daute, which is found in the parish archive of Santa Ana, it details that the construction had already begun in 1532 and in 1542 it had finished. When we talk about the first works we refer to the first room, that is, to the presbytery and in subsequent years it was expanded according to the mandates and plans of the bishops. The interior presents three ships, which offer a balanced harmony. The set of columns and arches produces a beautiful effect in its proportions, while the structure of the capitals, carved under classical schemes, is complicated in the transept, appearing high cymas that give the temple a severe elegance. The Mudejar root roof, the most relevant being those corresponding to the main chapel, as well as the one that covers that of Nuestra Señora del Carmen, open on the north side.

But the highlight is the Santísimo Cristo de la Misericordia made by Mexican indigenous people at the end of the 16th century , which is a Christ of corn, representations of Jesus Christ made using a technique using the marrow of the corn cane. Its origin dates back to pre-Hispanic times and said indigenous people used it to make their gods and idols, light in weight, which they could carry on their shoulders without much effort. A curious technique that was cultivated especially in Michoacán, perhaps its origin and in the Oaxaca area, specifically in Puebla - Tlaxcala. These types of Christs are found above all in Mexico and Spain. It is due to the gouge of the Sevillian sculptor, based in Garachico, Martín de Andujar in 17th century. Polychromy was applied by the Flemish painter Juan Excroft. In all this masterful work, the dramatic temperament and the accomplished realism stand out. On both sides of this altarpiece, the images of Santa Ana, Patron Saint of Garachico, and San Joaquín, carved by the artist from Gran Canaria, Luján Pérez, are venerated. Currently, the Parish Temple and the Sacred Museum can be visited daily in the morning and afternoon. They offer brochures in English, German and Spanish.