Betancuria was named and founed by the islands conquerer Jean de Bethencourt in 1904, preserved in the museum of the cathedral is the flag of the conquest, it is still flown each year for the anniversary of fuerteventura's incorporation into castile, at the time it was the second capital of the canary islands.
On june 14th 1405 it became part of the kingdom of castile and became the first capital of the island and remained so for more than three centurys but in 1812 it became an independant township and in 1834 ceased to be capital of the island, Betancuria is hidden in the heart of the island in a valley surrounded by mountains and has the most dramatic landscape around it.
The interior includes lateral alterpeices of neoclassical design, and the main alter is guilded and muticoloured in the Baroque style, There is a fine collection of paintings and figurines and a late XV1 century silver shrine thought to be the oldest in the canary islands.
The ruins of a Franciscan convent lie on the outskirts of the village.
The convent of San Buena-Ventura was commissioned by Pope Benedict X111 in 1414 and was the first convent on the island, it was renovated in 1460 but in the 19th century the roof collapsed and it remains the same to day.
The convent church was built with the hermitage of 'San Diego de Alcala' who was burried there, it has a gorge running by the side of it that appears to have once been a stream that runs by the gardens, it is very pretty and well kept, there is a statue of a woman holding a jug that looks up to the road standing in the grounds.
With a population of no more than 550 inhabitants, Betancuria covers an area of 104sq.km,and is 395 meters above sea level, the main economy of Betancuria is based on agriculture and raising of livestock around the main ravinines of Vega deRio Palmas and Betancuria, and of course tourism that has had the most recent impact in economic terms.
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