To spot the Parish of San Juan Bautista, look ahead for a bright cream-colored church with a clock-towered belfry on the left and a sturdy wooden door framed by stone right in the center-its clean lines and cross on top make it hard to miss.
Now, imagine yourself standing right where the drama of La Orotava’s history unfolded! Long before this impressive parish rose before you, there was just a humble little hermitage built by the hardworking locals way back in the 1600s. But the story gets spicy: these villagers wanted their own church, free from the rule of the big parish down in town. So, after twenty years of persistence-let’s call it stubbornness with a twist of Canarian spirit-they turned old sugarcane fields once owned by a Genoese merchant, Tomás Justinianeo, into the proud grounds for their parish.
Building it was no walk in the park. There were decades spent hauling stones, scraping together funds, and negotiating with bishops. Oh, the excitement when, in 1861, they finally placed the Holy Sacrament inside! But with freedom comes a bit of chaos-arguments flared when the main parish wanted to control certain ceremonies in San Juan. (Church politics: always lively, even back then.)
As you stand here, imagine August 1747, when the building was finally blessed, though the iconic tower you see now wouldn’t appear until years later thanks to Bishop Delgado and one generous Don Mateo González Grillo-a local hero who donated so much, he almost deserves a statue out front.
Inside today, you’ll find a treasure trove of art: centuries-old silver, oil paintings, and beloved statues like the Señor Atado a la Columna and the enchanting Virgen del Carmen, each with their own tales of processions, devotion, and maybe a little bit of village gossip whispered through the ages. So, take a breath: right here, you’re surrounded by stories that still warm the heart of La Orotava!
