Costa del Sol

The first English Cemetery in Spain is found in Malaga and considered to be a cultural asset to the city

By Anna Ellis • Updated: 04 Jan 2023 • 16:37

The first English Cemetery in Spain is found in Malaga and considered to be a cultural asset to the city. Image: Fundacion Cementerio Ingles de Malaga.

Before the English Cemetery was created in 1831, the death of a non-Roman Catholic in Spain was problematic.

Non-Catholics could only be buried at night, on the beach and in an upright position, and left at the mercy of the waves or prowling dogs.

When William Mark became British Consul in 1824, he was determined to find a site where Protestants could be given a decent burial. In 1829 Malaga authorities finally granted him a plot of land outside the city on the road to Almeria, and here he founded the first protestant cemetery in mainland Spain.

The cemetery is the final resting place of many notable figures who contributed to making Malaga what it is today.

The English Cemetery in Malaga was listed as a cultural asset (Bien de Interes Cultural) by the Andalusian government in 2012 and is registered with the Association of Significant Cemeteries of Europe (ASCE) thanks to its outstanding artistic, historic, literary and botanical value.

The English Cemetery which is open Tuesday to Sunday from 09:00.AM until 2:00.PM.in Malaga is located at Avenida de Pries, 1, across the road from the new hotel Miramar at the end of Paseo de Reding.

Thank you for taking the time to read this article. Do remember to come back and check The Euro Weekly News website for all your up-to-date local and international news stories; remember, you can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram.