Did you know that the oldest non-Catholic Christian cemetery in Spain is located on the Costa del Sol? It's an English cemetery, located at the heart of the city of Malaga.
Originally conceived as a botanical garden with a view of the sea, it was visited by Hans Christian Andersen in 1863 (and mentioned in his book "In Spain") and is one of the must-sees of the city.
History
This cemetery was built in 1831 on a plot of land ceded to the British Council by the Governor of Málaga. It was later transferred by Royal Decree to the British government and has been the home of the Anglican Church of Saint George under the authority of the European Diocese since 1891.
Several personalities are laid to rest in this cemetery, such as the English writer Gerald Brenan, the Spanish poet, Jorge Guillén, and renowned individuals from other nationalities.
What you can see
At the entrance you'll see a façade flanked by two sturdy pillars topped with marble sculptures of lions. In addition, the access gate was formerly the gatehouse, which has now become a shop where you can buy typical English products.
In the first courtyard you will see a temple with four columns on the façade. Inside, you'll find an open room where religious services are held, and an initial terrace where there is a set of burial monuments and tombs, with classic, neogothic and modernist features.
After the first part of the visit, you will see a second terrace that is facing the old cemetery. There you can visit the memorial to the sailors of the frigate Gneisenau, which was wrecked when it ran aground off the coast of Málaga in 1900.
Another highlight is the monument to Robert Boyd, a young liberal Irishman shot along with General Torrijos on the beach in Malaga, and a simple grave that holds the remains of Jorge Guillén, the poet from Valladolid who wanted to die on the Costa del Sol. Some other highlights include the graves of American soldiers who died off the coast of Málaga during the Second World War and the tomb of Marjorie Grice-Hutchinson, a British economist based in Málaga who had close links to the English cemetery.
Continuing along the path, you'll reach the original centre of the cemetery, where you’ll find the oldest graves, covered with shells. In the surrounding areas of this cemetery, you’ll find numerous tombs, among which are those of Gerald Brenan and his wife Gamel Woolsey in an area that was originally a garden and walkway.
How to get there
The English cemetery is located on Avenida Príes, near the Málaga Bullring and can be reached by public transport. Admission is totally free of charge.
If you like visiting cemeteries with history, you won't regret a visit to the English Cemetery in Málaga.
