Masaya Volcano

View of the Santiago crater of the volcano

The Masaya Volcano is surrounded by 6 times 11 km wide Masaya caldera and near the eponymous town in Nicaragua. It is located in the Masaya Volcano National Park.

The name that the indigenous people were the volcano is Popogatepe, which translates to mountain burning means. In pre-Columbian era, he was revered by them and his eruptions were seen as a sign of angry gods. That's why the locals brought him sacrifices, which were often small children or virgins.

The Spanish conquerors called the volcano La Boca del Infierno ( Hell's Gorge). To ward off the devil, they put a cross in the 16th century on the edge of the crater, which was named in honor of the Church Father Francisco Bobadilla La Cruz de Bobadilla.

Many European conquerors searched the area of the volcano from for gold; among the unsuccessful searchers also Gonzalo Fernandez de Oviedo ( 1529) and Friar Blas del Castillo were (1538 ).

At the outbreak of Masaya 1772 ( the last of the actual Masayakraters ) the lava flowed like a river in the area, which now is called Piedra Quemada ( burnt stone).