Batete Church

The church at Batete on Bioko's southwestern side was built by Claretian missionaries around the turn of the twentieth century entirely in wood, a substantial structure with a tower, raised on a stone base and put together with local timber at a time when almost everything else was in masonry. It is one of the more distinctive colonial buildings left in the country and is still in use.

What you actually see

• The timber construction - a large church built entirely in wood.
• The tower - the belfry standing above the village.
• The Claretian mission - the order that built and ran it.
• The continued use - a working parish church rather than a monument.

When to go

December to February is the drier season and the roads are better. The church is generally open around services. The rains from March make the road difficult.

Honest expectations

The building has suffered from termites and damp and its condition varies. Access to the interior depends on the parish. There is little else in the village.

Nearby

Luba is northeast, and the Gran Caldera is south.