Historic Traslarena Cemetery Reopens After 61 Years

After 61 years, the historic Traslarena cemetery, next to Las Teresitas beach in Santa Cruz, has finally been brought back to life. For years, local residents fought tirelessly to save this 132-year-old burial ground, which has become a powerful symbol of memory. Yesterday, their efforts paid off as the unique cemetery reopened its restored gates, filling the hearts of the fishing village's residents with emotion.

For many years, arguments between local authorities and residents left the cemetery neglected and falling apart. But now, Traslarena has been reborn by the beach, looking as if time stood still within its white walls. It features restored tombs, a new chapel, a plaque listing the names of those buried there, and even the old stone path, lined with crosses and memories, has been brought back.

So, yesterday was a day of celebration for San Andrés. It marked the end of a long-standing commitment that began on November 1, 2023, when the Canary Islands Government and Santa Cruz City Council agreed to restore the cemetery. The first phase of this work, which started last June, is now complete, much to the delight of everyone who fought for this achievement.

At the opening ceremony, held at the cemetery gates, the President of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, praised the town. He said they "resisted urban development plans and stayed united to save a symbol. Finally, the authorities listened to the public's demands – something often overlooked – to reopen this cemetery, which is a vital part of this Santa Cruz district."

The President of the Cabildo, Rosa Dávila, added that "bringing Traslarena back was a historical duty to a town that truly showed its resilience. This cemetery was first used in late 1893 after a cholera epidemic killed many residents, and then it lay abandoned for a very long time. So, its restoration is not just about recognition, but also about social justice."

Carlos Tarife, the First Deputy Mayor of Santa Cruz City Council, thanked residents for their hard work in restoring the cemetery. He stated, "This cemetery means a great deal not only to this town but to the entire municipality, and the city council will now be responsible for its upkeep."

The El Pescador neighborhood association was also crucial to the cemetery's revival. Its spokesperson, Marcos Cova, remembered, "It all started in 2018 when the town began to organize to save this place, which was in terrible condition. We put out collection boxes for residents to donate, and that helped us replace over 180 crosses. But just as we were about to begin work on the chapel, we got a call from Miguel Ángel Clavijo, the Government's Director of Historical Heritage. He met with us on November 1, 2023, and promised the cemetery would be restored. That's why today is a huge success, a reward, and a dream come true."

Miguel Ángel Clavijo explained that "while the first phase of work is done, our historical commitment to San Andrés continues. The second, more significant phase will now begin. We aim to document everyone buried here to uncover part of the history held within this important cemetery, not just for this town, but for Tenerife and the entire Canary Islands."

He added that "around 200 people buried here have been identified so far, but there are still others in tombs whose names have been lost. Also, in 1898, victims of the French ship Flachat's shipwreck off Taganana were buried in this cemetery. A team of archaeologists is now working to identify these individuals, a task I believe could be finished by the end of the year."

Traslarena fell into disuse after Las Teresitas beach opened, which sped up its closure. The last person buried there was Francisco Brito, known as Paco Machuco, on June 21, 1964. After that, there were several attempts to demolish the cemetery for urban development, with demolition starting in 1976 and plans to move the remains to Santa Lastenia cemetery. However, strong opposition from the community successfully stopped these plans.

This long journey has also resulted in a book, "Traslarena: A History of Struggle and Resistance," written by historians Daniel García Pulido, Sergio Pou Hernández, and Francisco Cabrera Alonso. They gathered stories, documents, and memories into this volume, which was presented yesterday as a keepsake during the accompanying exhibition, now open to the public.