San Ginés, Baroque church in Arrecife, Spain.
San Ginés is a Baroque church in Arrecife built with black volcanic stone and whitewashed walls, featuring three interior naves beneath dark wooden ceilings in Mudejar style. The structure displays how local materials and Spanish religious design were combined into a single unified building.
Construction began in 1574 as a small hermitage serving the coastal settlement. Major reconstruction happened in 1667 after flooding, and the building gained formal parish status in 1798 alongside new religious artworks.
The interior combines whitewashed walls with dark wooden ceilings in Mudejar style, creating a visual blend that reflects how local island building traditions merged with Spanish religious architecture. Visitors notice how this aesthetic choice shapes the feeling of the space and connects to the island's building heritage.
The building is open to visitors during regular hours and functions as both an active place of worship and an architectural monument. Different times of day offer varying light conditions that affect how the dark wooden ceilings and white walls appear to visitors.
Behind the baptismal font hangs a modern symbolist painting by Alberto Manrique depicting the fountain of life. This contemporary artwork creates an unexpected contrast within the religious setting and reflects how the space continues to evolve.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.