First Cemetery of Athens

First Cemetery of Athens
Πρώτο Νεκροταφείο Αθηνών

Foreground: Tomb of the Pesmazoglou family (right) and Melina Mercouri (middle). Background: Tomb of Heinrich Schliemann (left on the high pedestal).
Details
Established 1837
Location Central Athens
Country Greece
Coordinates 37°57′47″N 23°44′16″E / 37.96306°N 23.73778°E / 37.96306; 23.73778Coordinates: 37°57′47″N 23°44′16″E / 37.96306°N 23.73778°E / 37.96306; 23.73778
Tomb of Sofia Afentaki, a work of Yannoulis Chalepas.
Grave of Georgios Averoff

The First Cemetery of Athens (Greek: Πρώτο Νεκροταφείο Αθηνών, Próto Nekrotafeío Athinón) is the official cemetery of the City of Athens and the first to be built. It opened in 1837 and soon became a luxurious cemetery for famous Greek people and foreigners. The cemetery is located behind the Temple of Olympian Zeus and the Panathinaiko Stadium in central Athens. It can be found at the top end of Anapafseos Street (Eternal Rest Street). It is large green space including pines and cypresses.

In the cemetery there are three churches. The main is the Church of Saint Theodores and there is also a smaller of Saint Lazarus. The third church is a Catholic church. The cemetery includes the tomb of Heinrich Schliemann, designed by Ernst Ziller, the tomb of Ioannis Pesmazoglou, that of Georgios Averoff, and one named I Koimomeni (the Sleeping Girl), by the sculptor Yannoulis Chalepas, from the island Tinos. There are also separate burial places for Protestants and Jews.

The cemetery is under the Municipality of Athens and it is declared as an historical monument.

Notable interments

References

External links

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