general
La Laguna Cathedral reborn in a World Heritage city
The Cathedral of Nuestra Señora de Los Remedios in San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Tenerife, was rebuilt several times after being declared a ruin and reopened in 2014, preserving its neoclassical façade and revealing archaeological remains in the cathedral square.
Mar 30th 2026 · Spain
Insights
- The Cathedral of San Cristóbal de La Laguna stands in a historic centre declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1999.
- The building began as an early 16th century church and was elevated to cathedral status in 1818.
- Structural failures led to its closure in 1897 and a reconstruction carried out between 1904 and 1915 under engineer José Rodrigo de Vallabriga.
- A later restoration from 2002 to 2014 left only the reconstructed 1825 neoclassical façade and the dome from earlier phases.
- The interior has nine chapels, a Flemish retablo in the main chapel, a Carrara marble pulpit, and the tomb of founder Alonso Fernández de Lugo.
- The cathedral is noted for using concrete reinforced with polypropylene fibers and for displaying Orthodox artworks alongside Catholic worship.
Sources
- Distinción europea a las «buenas prácticas» de la rehabilitación de la catedral Santa María de Vitoria www.elcorreo.com
- ERC i PSC també pacten impulsar la rehabilitació dels blocs crítics de la Trinitat Vella www.ara.cat
- La catedral española en un entorno Patrimonio de la Humanidad que renació tras ser declarada en ruinas www.eldiario.es