El Club · Betancuria

The Church of Santa María de Betancuria is a monumental parish church located in the historic center of Betancuria, on Fuerteventura, within the town’s designated historic-artistic complex. It was designated a Site of Cultural Interest in the “Monument” category in 2019, with its movable assets and protected surroundings included in the designation. Its origins date back to the 15th century, with the first structure built around 1410, although the current church is the result of a long history of renovations and reconstructions. Historical sources describe the building as a three-nave structure, with the presbytery and the side-chapel apses of the side naves on the same level. Its historical layout features elements of Gothic and Mudejar traditions, with later Renaissance and Baroque additions. Notable documented features include the decorated and polychrome Mudejar coffered ceiling of the main roof and several interior altarpieces, including the one dedicated to the Immaculate Conception. Its heritage value lies both in its age and in its central role in the religious history of Betancuria, the island’s former main settlement and one of the most significant sites in Fuerteventura’s historical heritage.

Morro Velosa is a natural viewpoint and interpretation center located in Betancuria, in the interior of Fuerteventura, on the Tegú Mountain, about 669-700 meters above sea level. Its location, between the Betancuria Rural Park and the Santa Inés Valley, makes it an exceptional vantage point to understand the central relief of the island and its arid and eroded character. From here it dominates a wide panoramic view of the center and north of Fuerteventura, overlooking plains, volcanic hills, ravines and small white villages scattered across the landscape. The interest of the visit is in the visual reading of the territory: the contrast between the ocher tones, the dominant aridity and the forms of the massif allow us to understand why this sector of the island is one of the most representative of its natural landscape. The resource has landscape and informative relevance because it was adapted as an interpretive space on the arid Fuerteventura and its natural and ecological values, associated with water scarcity and an island environment highly conditioned by the climate. In addition, the building and the viewpoint are linked to César Manrique, which adds cultural value to the whole without detracting from the landscape that surrounds it. For the discerning visitor, Morro Velosa is interesting both for the views and for its ability to explain the majorero territory: it is not only a panoramic viewpoint, but a gateway to understanding the landscape of Betancuria and the interior of Fuerteventura.