Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria

The church of Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria stands over Plaza de la Iglesia in La Oliva. Building work started in the late sixteenth century and the structure grew afterwards into the present layout of three naves divided by arcades, with side chapels and a timber roof in the mudéjar tradition. Seen from outside, the striking element is the free standing bell tower, built of black volcanic stone that cuts against the whitewashed walls and works as a landmark across the flat northern plain of Fuerteventura.

The building makes more sense read together with the village around it. La Oliva was the seat of the colonels who governed the island, and the church is one of the stops on the Ruta de los Coroneles, with the Casa de los Coroneles, La Cilla and Casa Mané only a short walk away. Inside there are altarpieces and images from different periods, and the ensemble gives a sense of how much weight this small settlement carried when military and economic power on Fuerteventura was concentrated here. The visit is short and combines naturally with the other historic buildings of the village.