Old town of Santa Brígida

The old town of Santa Brígida is the historic core of a small inland town on Gran Canaria, sitting at the edge of the Barranco de Guiniguada ravine amid fertile valleys and vineyards. In 2011 this part of town was declared a Historic Ensemble (Conjunto Histórico), a recognition of its role as one of the earliest settled areas on this side of the island.

How did the historic core take shape?

The settlement's roots go back to the 16th century. The first buildings grew up around a church erected on a site then known as "Lugar de La Vega" — precisely where the parish church stands today. The original church was founded by Juan de Maluenda, owner of a sugar mill, and by Isabel Guerra, widow of the conquistador Juan de Sanlúcar. It opened for worship around 1525, making it one of the oldest reference points for the whole settlement. The rest of the old town grew outward from this founding religious site, and its street layout has kept the compact, intimate character typical of Canarian towns of that era.

What can visitors see in the old town today?

The parish church remains the focal point, though it no longer preserves its original 16th-century form. A fire in 1897 destroyed almost the entire building, sparing only the tower — which is today the oldest surviving part of the structure. The church was rebuilt in the early 20th century, giving it its current appearance.

Nearby stands the old Town Hall (Antiguo Ayuntamiento), dating from the 19th century, a reminder of over a hundred years of local administration, along with the Calvario, a modest religious structure of a type common across Canarian towns, where stations marking the Passion once shaped the sacred layout of the settlement.

A distinct and clearly defined section of the historic center is the La Alcantarilla area. It groups together several buildings of particular significance to local identity: the Real Casino de Santa Brígida, a former post house known as Fonda Melián, and the headquarters of the Junta de Aguas (Water Board) — a post-neoclassical building from the early 20th century that reflects how important water management was to the municipality's agricultural surroundings.

Why does this area hold Historic Ensemble status?

The 2011 legal protection covers the urban layout as a whole rather than individual buildings. What mattered was the combination of an authentic, centuries-old street plan with structures representing different eras: the 16th-century religious origins, 19th-century local government, and early 20th-century architecture tied to water management and community social life.

Frequently asked questions

How old is the old town of Santa Brígida? Its roots go back to the 16th century — the first church on the site opened for worship around 1525.

Is the parish church the original building? Not entirely. A fire in 1897 destroyed most of the church, leaving only the tower standing, and the rest was rebuilt in the early 20th century.

What is in the La Alcantarilla district? The Real Casino de Santa Brígida, the former post house Fonda Melián, and the Junta de Aguas building.

When was the old town granted heritage protection? In 2011, as a Historic Ensemble (Conjunto Histórico).