  In this paper we discuss the importance of studying the orientation of
ancient Christian churches, as a complement to the historical and cultural
research of the temples. We present preliminary results of the analysis of the
precise spatial orientation of 38 colonial churches located on the Canary
Island of La Gomera (Spain). The sample suggests that, although several
churches have a canonical orientation within the solar range, a large
proportion of them follow a pattern of orientations that is compatible with the
steep orography of the island and, therefore, contrasts with the prescriptions
contained in the texts of the early Christian writers.
