In Tejina, cultural highlights range from annual festivals to protected church architecture and evidence of sugar cane processing. The most distinctive events are the Fiestas Patronales in honour of San Bartolomé and the Auto Sacramental de los Reyes Magos. Other features include the architecture of the Iglesia de San Bartolomé and the varied agriculture in the area around Valle de Guerra and Tejina. Culture, architecture and production offer different perspectives on the town.

Festivals and theatrical tradition throughout the year

The Fiestas Patronales in honour of San Bartolomé take place each year around 24 August. This festival is also known as the Fiesta de los Corazones; the Corazones are its most longstanding tradition. The Fiesta de los Corazones, associated with San Bartolomé, originated in the second half of the 19th century and brings together the three traditional districts of El Pico, Calle Arriba and Calle Abajo.

Another annual event is the Auto Sacramental de los Reyes Magos de Tejina, performed on 5 January at around 9:30 p.m. in the parish square of San Bartolomé de Tejina. The two occasions therefore fall at different times of year: the play in early January and the patronal festival in August. If you are planning a trip specifically for a festival, check the exact dates before travelling.

A folk play in three episodes

The Auto Sacramental de los Reyes Magos de Tejina is one of the oldest surviving forms of folk theatre in the Canary Islands; records date back to at least 1905. Its story is divided into three episodes. First, angels announce the news to the shepherds, who bring their gifts to the baby Jesus. This is followed by the play about the Three Wise Men, including their dialogue with Herod and the adoration of the baby Jesus. The play concludes with the flight into Egypt.

The sequence moves from the annunciation to the shepherds, through the encounter between the Kings and Herod, to the story of the flight. The play thus brings three different scenes from the traditional narrative to life.

The Iglesia de San Bartolomé

The Iglesia de San Bartolomé de Tejina and its associated movable cultural heritage have been protected as a Bien de Interés Cultural in the Monument category since 2006. Its architecture can be seen in the layout of the church interior and the design of the main façade.

Three naves are separated by lowered stone arches resting on square Tuscan pillars. The main façade features a stone bell gable with a double round arch for the bells. The three-aisled layout and the distinctive bell feature on the façade are two different architectural elements.

Industrial history and agriculture

The Destilería de San Bartolomé de Tejina, founded in 1948, is part of the area’s industrial history. Today, it occupies a large complex with a distillery and bottling plant, as well as several halls. The facilities house machinery once used in sugar cane processing. The complex thus brings together production buildings and technical evidence of the former use of sugar cane.

Agriculture is also varied in the area around Valle de Guerra and Tejina: alongside banana plantations, there is papaya and avocado cultivation, vineyards, and greenhouses for ornamental flowers. The region’s agricultural production therefore extends beyond a single crop and includes both open-field and greenhouse cultivation.

Discover more destinations: Bajamar, Guamansa, Punta Del Hidalgo, Valle De Guerra.

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