Its social importance
Until the mid-19th century, the village of Pla de na Tesa did not have its own church. Around 1857, the owner of Son Alegre, one of the most important estates in the area, promoted the construction of a church dedicated to Sant Llàtzer. The works were carried out between 1858 and 1864, according to a project by Antoni Sureda and with great popular collaboration, as it was built thanks to the alms and wages contributed by the neighbours, which is why the Latin inscription “EX ELEEMOSINIS CONSTRUCTA PIORUM” is written on the roof, on the edge of the apse, that is, it was built with the alms of the pious. This building had a very important historical and cultural value for the village, given that, with the beginning of the church, a community was born which, since then, has celebrated social events in its surroundings.
Style and heritage value
It is a simple church with a single nave and eight side chapels. Its style is neoclassical, i.e. it is influenced by Greco-Roman influences. A good example of this is the pediment that frames the doorway and the two gigantic Doric style pilasters that embellish the sides, all in a façade that is not very ornate and refined, typical of neoclassicism.
Although the work was finished in 1864, during the following years the sacristy and the bell tower were built, the latter being the result of a mixture of neo-Gothic and Classicism. Also, noteworthy are the two bells, the smaller one from Barcelona and the larger one from Palma. Finally, the priest’s vicarage-house was built on the left side of the church.
Inside, two images of Sant Llàtzer stand out. The one that can be seen on one side of the altar was the church’s first patron saint, while the one that currently presides over the main altarpiece was made in the 1960s by the Marratxiner sculptor Francesc Salvà. Curiously, the former represents the Llàtzer of the parable and the latter the other Saint Llàtzer of the Gospel, Bishop of Marseilles.
Also of note on the esplanade is the public cistern preserved in front of the church, dated 1877. Although it has not been possible to find out the exact location of the trough, it is believed that the cattle watered in this square while the shepherds stopped at the Can Membre tavern to regain their strength and continue on.
