Find out the fascinating history of one of the most sacred places in the Canary Island sea: a sunken cemetery buried in the depths of the La Palma sea

The Cruces de Malpique are located close to the southern tip of the island. This unique place, with 40 stone crosses built upon sand and rock, has been declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

You’ll find the undersea cemetery between Punta de Malpique and Punta de Fuencaliente, near the so-called Boca Fornalla – or Cueva de las Palomas as it’s known among fishermen.

When you arrive in Fuencaliente, take the LP-207 road directly to Fuencaliente Lighthouse, also known as Faro de Punta de Fuencaliente. The lighthouse is an important reference point.

Find access to the sea: Just before you get to the lighthouse, you’ll see a path taking you to the rocky coastline, which is where you’ll find the Crosses of Malpique. You may need to walk a short distance from the car park near the lighthouse to the scuba diving area.

A pirate tale

It’s said that on 15 July 1570 the French pirate Jacques Soli, in charge of the Le Prince warship, intercepted the Santiago galleon. Fray Ignacio de Acevedo was travelling on the vessel along with 39 Jesuits destined for a Brazilian Jesuit mission. The pirates cruelly murdered the Spanish and Portuguese Jesuits, tossing the bodies of the clerics overboard until they saw them sink into the depths of the sea.

After slaying the Tazacorte Martyrs off the Fuencaliente coast, the pirates – together with 28 hostages – headed to San Sebastián de la Gomera, where Don Diego de Ayala y Rojas (then Count of La Gomera) asked the French pirate to free and deliver the surviving hostages to him.

In 1742, Pope Benedict XIV declared the murdered victims martyrs, and on 11 May 1854 Pope Pius IX announced their beatification.

In 1999, 40 impressive stone crosses were sunk 20 metres deep into the sea as a monument in memory of the Tazacorte Martyrs. The underwater cemetery is commonly known as the Cruces de Malpique (Crosses of Malpique).

The martyrs were honoured once again in October 2014 with a large stone cross in the Fuencaliente lighthouse displaying all the names of the victims.

Enjoy a wealth of marine fauna

Thanks to the cemetery’s proximity to the La Palma Marine Reserve, you can see a wide variety of sea creatures.

Take a good look through your mask and you might see spotted eagle rays, moray eels, octopuses, Atlantic trumpetfish, all sizes of crabs, crabs of different sizes, parrotfish, seahorses and even angelsharks… Endless marine species!

This dive is recommended for expert divers who have their own equipment, or those accompanied by specialist professionals. It’s no easy dive! The water near the Malpique Crosses may be mild (and the visibility is great) but there are strong currents in this part of the Atlantic Ocean.

Here’s an incredible interactive video that tells you all about the Crosses of Malpique:

Set off on an unforgettable journey and dive into the deepest, darkest depths of La Palma.

Categories: Canaries, Sports & Wellness, Sports Canarian, La Palma