Founded in 1496, the church was one of the first religious buildings in Tenerife after the military stage of the Reconquista had ended.

[1] After the Conquest of the Canary Islands, Alonso Fernández de Lugo decided to build a shrine to Saint James the Apostle as a token of gratitude.

[4][5] The church is mentioned in the 1542 writings of bishop Diego de Muros who mentions the donations of lands to the church of "...Santiago del Realejo de arriba" becoming for the benefit of the Taoro region.

[6] Records from the period no longer exist, but it is believed that in 1496, a simple structure covered with a straw roof was erected, making it the first Christian church on Tenerife.

Manuel Penedo, a Portuguese stonemason, demolished the corresponding exterior wall and built the new nave with stone from the quarries of Acentejo [es].

It shares the same design characteristics as other churches in the Canary Islands: three naves of equal height, topped by separate roofs, and covered by traditional mujedar art.

[6] The statues of Our Lady of Remedies (Los Realejos) [es], by sculptor Fernando Estévez,[7] and El Nazareno (Los Realejos) [es] by Martín de Andújar Cantos are on display in the church.

[8] In 1922, because of deterioration, all the stonework in the arches and columns was replaced with new concrete ones featuring ionic capitals.