The Hermitage of San José is about two kilometers north of La Villa de Teguise. It lies in the middle of one of the richest agricultural plains in Lanzarote. I am not sure if the ruins we see today are of the farm house of Don Diego de Laguna y Ayala, the hermitage that he had built or a bit of both.
Certainly looking at the remains today it is hard to envisage the splendour it once had. Don Diego was born in Teguise in 1649. He was one of the most powerful figures in Lanzarote of his time. We can see a measure of the grandeur of the farm house and hermitage complex by the large size of the Aljibe and and its impressive circular companion cistern.
The Role Of Ermita de San José
The hermitage is named in honour of the saint that this agricultural plain is named after. It was a private chapel, with a single nave, which had two lateral niches. These housed the images of San Isidro and San Agustín. Taking pride of place however was a painting “The Betrothal of the Virgin”, a work by the famous baroque painter Hernández de Quintana.
The chapel played an important role in the pilgrimage to Las Nieves. It was a meeting point for the various churches of the area. From here the pilgrims from Teguise, San Sebastián, del Mojón, and San Leandro, de Teseguite made their ascent to Ermita de las Nieves.
Ermita de San José Today
The Ermita de San José (hermitage or chapel depending on translation) has had a had life in more recent times. In the 1940s, its owners began to use it as a garage. And in 1951, its roof was demolished for the timber and sold off. Consequently all this neglect has led to the sorry state of the ruins as we see them today.
Teguise History
Teguise is steeped in history and you can find a wealth of information here – Historia de Teguise. There is also a more of interest in the growing History section on this website.