Car Crash Highlights Urgent Need to Protect Historic Icod de los Vinos Hermitage

A recent car accident in Icod de los Vinos has drawn attention to the precarious state of the San Felipe Neri hermitage. Despite its significant historical value, this 17th-century landmark lacks official protection as a Property of Cultural Interest (BIC). On February 26, a driver under the influence of alcohol crashed into the temple’s portico and a parked car, causing damage to a structure that stands as a unique example of religious architecture in Tenerife.

The building’s vulnerability is both physical and legal. According to municipal chronicler Fernando Díaz Medina, the property is privately owned by German citizens. This stems from a 19th-century dispute between the Diocese and local stewards, which resulted in the temple being deconsecrated. Since then, the building has passed through various owners, making its preservation difficult. Priest Marcos Antonio García Luis emphasized the site's importance, noting that it is the first building in the world dedicated to Saint Philip Neri, the patron saint of Rome.

The damaged section, known as the alpende or "half-orange" porch, is a distinctive architectural feature dating back to 1651. It was commissioned by Licentiate Gonzalo Báez Borges during the development of the local square and the road connecting Icod to the neighboring town of Garachico.

Beyond its religious and architectural history, the hermitage has a unique cinematic past. In 1937, filmmaker Douglas Sirk used the site to film La Habanera, a production linked to the Nazi regime. During filming, the porch was used as a bullfighting box to recreate American settings. This historical footnote stands in stark contrast to the site's current state of neglect. The recent police report regarding the crash has inadvertently highlighted the urgent need to protect a legacy that, despite its age, remains excluded from regional heritage catalogs.