A UNESCO site and natural monument in the heart of La Palma

Located on the island of La Palma, the Cueva de Las Palomas is a lava tube situated between the towns of Las Manchas and Todoque. As a geological formation typical of young volcanic regions, it holds significant scientific interest for its geological properties and its biological importance. It serves as a habitat for a peculiar fauna of troglomorphic arthropods, which have adapted to the specific conditions found inside the volcanic tube.

The cave was formed by the 1949 eruption of the San Juan volcano, specifically within the lava flow that emerged at Llano del Banco and moved toward the west. The drainage of lava flowing through the interior of the conduit created this gallery. It measures approximately three meters wide and 560 meters long, with more than ten openings that provide natural light at various points along the route. Some of these openings are ancient fumarolas, or gas discharge holes, through which lava and gases escaped during the tube's formation.

At its western end, the tube has a continuation called Cueva de Todoque II, which is not connected subterraneously to the rest of the tube. This separation is due to a land movement in 1987 intended to destroy the cavity, which instead poured a considerable amount of slag and lava fragments through a natural gas discharge hole, creating an internal obstruction. However, the Todoque II section, which is 154 meters long, remains accessible through its own independent entrance.

While the nearby town of Todoque was engulfed by the lava flow after the 2021 eruption of La Palma, the Cueva de Las Palomas tube remains intact. It is declared a place of natural interest by Unesco and a natural monument by the Canary Islands, officially known as the Monumento Natural del Tubo Volcánico de Cueva de Las Palomas under Law 9/2014.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons