The Church of Our Lady of the Rosary is the mother parish church of Puerto del Rosario, capital of Fuerteventura. A first church went up beside the landing stage in 1812, when the settlement still belonged to the municipality of Tetir. The present building dates from 1824–1835, gained a bell tower in 1888 and was not finished until 1930. It became a parish in 1906 and was declared a Bien de Interés Cultural, as a historic-artistic monument, in 1990.
Church of Our Lady of the Rosary (Puerto del Rosario)
Local name: Iglesia de Nuestra Señora del Rosario
Mother parish church of Fuerteventura's capital, built 1824–1835 and finished in 1930, with bells from Marseille.
- Accessibility
- Wheelchair-accessible entrance and wheelchair-accessible parking.
- Parking
- Parking about 90 m away; a paid car park about 150 m away. Wheelchair-accessible parking available.
- Difficulty
- None to speak of: the church stands on a town street, with parking about 90 m away.
- Transport
- Bus stops Urbanización Llanos Del Sol (about 200 m) and Las Rotondas (about 400 m).
- Address
- C. Secundino Alonso, 20, 35600 Puerto del Rosario, Las Palmas, Spain
What makes it special
The church keeps two images of the Virgin of the Rosary. The one venerated today, on the high altarpiece, is a newer dressed figure. The original, carved in the round from wood and painted, now stands in the sacristy.
The building took more than a century to reach its present form. It replaced a first church of 1812, went up between 1824 and 1835, received a bell tower in 1888 to hold two bells brought from Marseille, and was only declared finished in 1930. In 1990 it was listed as a Bien de Interés Cultural.
On 7 October the Virgin leaves the church altogether: the main day of the fiestas of the capital's patron brings a romería and a procession that carries her image through the streets.
Good to know
- This is a working parish church, so visits fit around Mass.
- The entrance is wheelchair-accessible, and so is the parking.
- Public toilets stand about 180 m away.
- The tourist office is about 270 m from the church.
- Around 7 October the fiestas of the Virgin of the Rosary fill the streets with a romería and a procession.
Getting there
The church stands in the old town of Puerto del Rosario, close to the port, so the last stretch is a walk along town streets. Drivers have parking about 90 m away and a paid car park about 150 m away. By bus, the Urbanización Llanos Del Sol stop is about 200 m away in a straight line, and Las Rotondas about 400 m. The tourist office, about 270 m from the church, makes a useful first stop before a walk round the centre.
Best time to visit
Best: around 7 October, the main day of the fiestas of the Virgin of the Rosary, patron of the capital. Avoid: service times, if you have come to look round. The fiestas bring a romería and a procession that carries the Virgin through the streets, while during Mass the nave belongs to the congregation.
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Frequently asked questions
When was the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary built?
A first church stood beside the landing stage from 1812. The present building went up between 1824 and 1835, the bell tower followed in 1888, and the church was finished in 1930.Is the church a protected monument?
Yes. In 1990 it was declared a Bien de Interés Cultural in the category of historic-artistic monument.When are the fiestas of the Virgin of the Rosary?
Every year, with 7 October as the main day. The fiestas include a romería and a procession of the Virgin's image through the streets of Puerto del Rosario.Where is the original image of the Virgin?
In the sacristy. It is a wooden figure carved in the round and painted; the image on the high altarpiece is a newer dressed figure.Can wheelchair users visit?
Yes. The entrance is wheelchair-accessible, and there is wheelchair-accessible parking.