Puntos de Interés
Culture
Las Nieves Chapel
Nuestra Señora de las Nieves Chapel is a small building dedicated to Santa María la Mayor, also known as Virgen de las Nieves. Its location, at an altitude of over 2,000 metres, in El Teide National Park, makes it the Catholic church built at the highest altitude in Spain.
In terms of its architectural characteristics, it is a simple construction with a single rectangular nave. The church's exterior is characterised by its cream-coloured walls and some simple ornamental elements made of grey stone. This grey stone was also used for the side buttresses. On the front façade there is an arched portico with a small canopy, crowned by the bell tower and a spherical opening.
Its interior, with whitewashed walls, culminates in the altar, framed by a semi-circular arch with grey stone voussoirs that houses an orange wall with a replica of the Youth Cross from the 2011 World Youth Day in Madrid, blessed by the Bishop of the Diocese of Tenerife in 2011.
However, the greatest of the treasures kept in this small chapel is undoubtedly the sculpture of Virgen de la Nieves holding baby Jesus in her arms. The sculpture is made of delicate white marble.
The chapel belongs to the Archpriesthood of La Orotava and celebrates mass on Sundays and public holidays at 1 pm.