The town of Betancuria in Fuerteventura

In this long history Betancuria retained an interesting historical center, dominated by its church Sainte-Marie, formerly Cathedral of the Diocese of the Canaries.

Despite its small population Betancuria is the capital of a joint, the smallest - by area - the six municipalities of the island of Fuerteventura; it is also the least populated municipality of the Canary Islands, with just over 800 inhabitants. Also Betancuria, this municipality includes the villages of Valle de Santa Inés and Vega de Río Palmas. As the entire island of Fuerteventura, Betancuria is part of the province of Las Palmas, which includes Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote.

The crest of the city of Betancuria bears the lion of the arms of Jean IV de Béthencourt, but - in heraldic terms - that lion should be “sand” (black) and not of “reds” (red).

In the north, the town of Betancuria is separated from that of Puerto del Rosario by the Barranco de los Mozos (“the Boys of the ravine”); east, the summit Maninubre marks the border with the town of Antigua; southeast, the Gran Montaña separates Betancuria of Tuineje; south, the Barranco d’Ajuy forms the border with Pájara. To the west the town is open to the ocean by a steep rocky coast where the cliffs alternate with small beaches of black pebbles.

Today we reached Betancuria from Puerto del Rosario, taking the FV-20 road and then the road FV-30; the journey takes half an hour (28 km).

Valley Betancuria is crossed by a torrential river, the Barranco de Betancuria, usually dry. The rains, rare but often torrential, and the lack of vegetation to protect the soil, leading to severe erosion; this caused the filling, by land, the dam Las Peñitas downstream of Betancuria.

Although the location of the capital was deliberately chosen in the mountains, there were several serious attacks by Barbary pirates; in 1593, Betancuria was devastated by Berber pirates Xabán. It was not until the seventeenth century that the reconstruction was undertaken; Betancuria has preserved the character of the time, with cobbled streets lined with lovely mansions with remarkable portals and modest peasant homes. In 1979, the entire town was declared "Historical Artistic (Conjunto Histórico Artístico)."

1. St. Mary’s Church

2. Museum of Sacred Art

3. St. Bonaventure Monastery

4. Chapel St. Diego de Alcalá

5. Archaeological and Ethnographic Museum

7. Noria de la Calle

8. Presbytery

9. Noria de las Peñas

In 1424, the church of Santa María was consecrated as a cathedral of the Diocese of the Canary Islands by Pope Martin V (pontiff from 1417 to 1431) with the creation of the bishopric of Fuerteventura whose authority extended over the whole the archipelago, except the island of Lanzarote which depended on the bishopric of Rubicón. The bishop appointed by the Pope, the Franciscan Fray Martín de las Casas (Bishop Fuerteventura from 1424 to 1433), never came to Betancuria: the Church of St. Mary retained the status of cathedral as ephemeral way up in 1430.

Our Lady of Betancuria, as it sees today, was rebuilt in the seventeenth century, from 1620 and completed by the master builder Parraga about 1691. The new building has Gothic, Mudejar, Renaissance and Baroque. It remains one of the most beautiful churches in Fuerteventura.

The bell tower is leaning against the side wall right to the church background. The bell tower is square in plan; the lower part, decorated with darker stones, is a remnant of the original church steeple burned by Jaban.

In the choir, the master hotel has a wooden altarpiece of great value, realized during the second half of the seventeenth century, with polychrome and gold tones specific to the baroque; altarpiece that houses a wooden statue of the Virgin dating from the fifteenth century. The altarpieces of the chapel altars are pure wonders colors.

The sacristy is located behind the apse of the nave of the Gospel; it is accessible through a door on the left side of the choir. The sacristy has a beautiful ceiling in Mudejar coffered, unique to the Canary Islands. This ceiling artesonado have a Renaissance decoration based on rosettes and vegetation, gilt and polychrome, with red and gold. You can see beautiful pieces of jewelry, including a silver monstrance, the oldest of the archipelago, as well as vestments; one can also admire the banner of the Conquest, which happens to be the banner that was waving Jean de Béthencourt upon his arrival in the island.

The church Santa María is located in the center of historic Betancuria.

Visiting hours: Monday to Friday, from 11 am to 17 pm; Saturday from 11 am to 19 pm.

Entry fee: € 2.

Museo de Arte Sacro

Calle Alcalde Carmelo Silvera s/n, opposite the Museum of Craft of the Casa Santa María.

Telephone: 00 34928878003.

Visiting hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 10 am to 18 pm.

Entry fee: € 1.5.

This small ethnographic museum displays traditional crafts, agricultural tools and other antiques collected in the island. One can also see the work of local artisans making objects (weaving, embroidery, basketry, pottery ...) that can be purchased in the museum shop.

The 3D projection room presents including a documentary on marine fauna of the coast of the region.

Visiting hours: Monday to Saturday, 10 am to 15: 30 pm.

Telephone: 00 34928878036.

Entry fee: € 6.

This monastery was founded in 1416, a few years after the conquest of the island, by permission of Pope Benedict XIII, by the Prior Pedro de Pernía and the lay brother Juan de Baeza came to Betancuria with seven missionaries from the monastery Abrojo Castilla. However, it seems that the construction was delayed because, in 1423, the brother Juan de Baeza had to get another license, this time of Pope Martin V, under which the faithful who have contributed with their alms, construction the monastery would receive indulgences. This was the first Franciscan monastery built in the Canaries. The first buildings were rudimentary, built with local materials, including palm wood.

In 1593, the St. Bonaventure Monastery was destroyed - like the rest of the village - by the hordes of barbarians from the Berber arráez Xaban.

The Hermitage is a building with two naves covered with a hipped tile roof, like the sacristy which is backed bedside Epistle the wall (of the right nave wall). The main portal, made clear stone size with arch is located on the back of the nave of the Gospel (left aisle).

The chapel has two other ports open in the wall of the Gospel, one with a round arch and one with a broken arc. Both doors are separated by a small buttress pressed twice main arc (“triumphal arch”) that divides the naves inside. In the top of the buttress is an opening which probably served as a bell tower. On the wall of the Gospel also open two narrow windows made of clear stone.

Inside, the chapel has two naves separated by pillars that support the red stone arches that support the roof. The wooden roof, quite simple, of Mudejar type, is attributed to Brother Gaspar Crespo, who also assembled the roof of the monastery church of the monastery roof that is now destroyed.

The San Diego hermitage was restored in 1965.It is included in the Standard History Betancuria, said in 1979.

The potters extracted from the earth to pick and mixed with volcanic sand; after purification the clay was kneaded by hand and smoothed with a roller and then covered with ocher. The parts were then cooked in batches of 20 or 30, in ovens to air heated with palm wood, fig and other dried wood.

The museum also documents for the first European expeditions in the island of Fuerteventura and the Norman conquest of the fifteenth century, and some ethnographic evidence about life on the island over the centuries.

Visit the Museo Arqueológico de Betancuria :

The museum is located at the southern entrance of the village, on the FV-30 road which becomes Calle Roberto Roldán 1; the museum is housed in an old house typical of the traditional architecture of the island. In front of the museum, two guns - took to English privateers during the Battle of Tuineje in November 1740 - welcome visitors.

Phone: 00 34 928 878 241

Visiting hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 10 am to 18 pm; Sunday, 11 am to 14 pm. Closed Mondays and holidays.

Entry fee: € 2 (including a brochure in English).

Go to Rural Park Betancuria.

You can visit the St. Agnes Chapel (Ermita de Santa Inés) built about 1586. The chapel probably owes its name to Inés Peraza de Las Casas wife of Diego García de Herrera, lord of the island in the second half of the sixteenth century. The sacristy and the bell tower date back to the eighteenth century.

Jean de Béthencourt and his partner had led these conquests for themselves, seeking to supply the Archil, a lichen producing widely used in their stronghold of Normandy dye. However, June 14, 1405, Béthencourt swore allegiance to the king of Castile, Henry III (Enrique III), which granted him the title "King of the Canary Islands’; the Canaries were attached to the kingdom of Castile. The conquest of the other islands of the archipelago is made ​​from Fuerteventura.

During the fifteenth century, Franciscan Friars settled in Betancuria, widened the city and made ​​it home to the evangelization of the Canary Islands.

Jean de Béthencourt had chosen this place in the mountains for strategic reasons, so that the capital was more easily defended against pirate attacks, but the proximity of the North African coast was from Fuerteventura easy prey for Barbary pirates who managed to repeatedly overcome the natural defenses of Betancuria. Thus, in 1593, the pirate Jabán managed to enter and to burn down the whole city, and to the church Santa María.

In the eighteenth century, between 1720 and 1723 Betancuria was the scene of violent sedition following the precarious living conditions of the population and lack of food.

Despite its loss of economic influence, Betancuria remained the capital of Fuerteventura until 1834, when the capital was moved to various cities (Antigua, La Oliva...) and finally, in 1860, in Puerto de Cabras, the current Puerto del Rosario.

Hours: 10 am to 16 pm. Closed Thursday and Sunday.

Price: € 2.50; duration: 50 min.

There is a restaurant renowned for the quality of its dishes, a cafeteria where you can enjoy pancakes, and a bar, all decorated in a remarkably warm and refined country style. Tables are set in several patios with fountains and lush vegetation of plants and flowers.

The restaurant offers traditional Canarian cuisine using goat used in all its forms, grilled fried cheese, including its specialty “cabrito al horno” (roast kid).

Address: Plaza Santa María de Betancuria, 1. Opposite the church, on the other side of the square.

Phone: 00 34 928 878 282

Site on the Web: www.casasantamaria.net

Email: restaurantecsm@yahoo.es

Hours: daily, 11 am to 16 pm; evenings by reservation.

main courses from 18 to 22 €.

Meals: at 25 to 60 € menu; the card 30 to € 50.

Address: Calle Roberto Roldán, 21

Phone: 00 34 928 878 007