Church and Former Franciscan Convent of Saint Louis the Bishop

About this place

Declared a Site of Cultural Interest with the category of Monument in 1985, the church has a single nave with a main chapel, and the convent features a bell gable and a gatehouse. Its original structure was destroyed in the fire of 1745, and although it was rebuilt, it never reached its former dimensions. It also suffered a collapse in the 20th century. The church was restored and still retains its Mudéjar coffered ceiling. Furthermore, it houses carvings and altarpieces from the Canarian school. Its foundation was authorized by Bishop Fray Juan de Toledo in 1665. Its location was chosen in consultation with the local residents, who placed a cross and laid the first stone. The complex was dedicated to Saint Louis, Bishop of Toulouse, although it is popularly known as the Convent of Saint Francis, as it belonged to that order. It was destroyed by fire, but the Blessed Sacrament, the image of Saint Francis, a wooden Saint Anthony, and part of the archives were saved. The servants of the estate were responsible for rebuilding and restoring the monastery. When it was closed by the monks in 1821, the building was used as the Town Hall until its catastrophic collapse in early 1963, which claimed the lives of 23 residents of the municipality and injured over a hundred others, as illustrated on a commemorative plaque located in the inner courtyard. Despite this tragedy, part of the building continued to be used as municipal offices, a theater, a storage room, and a refuse dump. In the early 1990s, it caught fire again and was subsequently restored by the Island Council. It now houses an exhibition hall and a library.