Nadia McDonald
THE English cemetery in Malaga is launching tragi-comedy tours of the Iberian peninsula’s first ever Protestant burial ground.
The new theatrical tours, launched by Enjoy Malaga Tours and Tierra Mala Citana, will walk visitors through the rich and intriguing history of this pioneering burial ground.
First opened in 1831, the graveyard provided a resting place for the non-Catholics of the region.
Prior to its opening those who were of non-Catholic faith were buried upright, on the beach at night and left to be devoured by wild animals and washed away by the sea.
Witnessing the callous treatment of the dead who were of different religious persuasions, William Mark, who was British consul in 1824, began a quest to ensure that Protestants were allowed decent burials, eventually founding the first ever Protestant cemetery in the region.
During the tours, actors will take on the roles of key figures who were buried at the site. One such character is that of Robert Boyd who was executed for his part in a failed liberal uprising, an undertaking which led to one of Malaga’s mottos ‘the first in the struggle for freedom’. Another prominent figure who also lies within the cemetery’s walls and whose commitment is merited within the region’s motto is Joseph William Noble whose descendants opened a hospital where victims of the Gneisenau disaster were treated, earning Malaga the slogan ‘most hospitable’.
The cemetery is a key part of the region’s anglophone past and an insight into some of the stories that have shaped Malaga’s history.
Tours will begin on April 22 with two slots, 7pm and 9pm. Ticket prices are €18 and include the €5 entry fee.
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