First Cemetery of Athens

Athens, Greece

The First Cemetery of Athens is the official cemetery of the City of Athens and the first to be built. It opened in 1837 and soon became a prestigious cemetery for Greeks and foreigners. The cemetery is located behind the Temple of Olympian Zeus and the Panathinaiko Stadium in central Athens.

In the cemetery there are three churches. The main one is the Church of Saint Theodores and there is also a smaller one dedicated to Saint Lazarus. The third church of Saint Charles is a Catholic church. The cemetery includes several impressive tombs such as those of Heinrich Schliemann, Ioannis Pesmazoglou and one tomb with a famous sculpture of a dead young girl called I Koimomeni ('The Sleeping Girl'). There are also burial areas for Protestants and Jews, however, this segregation is not compulsory. The cemetery is under the Municipality of Athens and is declared an historical monument.

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Address

Iolis 13, Athens, Greece
See all sites in Athens

Details

Founded: 1837
Category: Cemeteries, mausoleums and burial places in Greece

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.5/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Ludmila Ondarcuhu (14 months ago)
The First Cemetery of Athens is a place of profound historical and cultural significance. As the resting place of notable figures from Greece's past, it provides a unique glimpse into the nation's history. While the atmosphere is somber, it's also a peaceful and reflective spot. However, accessibility and maintenance could be improved to enhance the visitor experience. Worth a visit for those interested in Greek history and heritage.
Jana Krištanová (16 months ago)
As it happens with historical cemeteries, this is a cool park to chill and walk. The cemetery has a lot of trees and nice historical tombstones, statues and memorials. Entrance is for free, nobody checks anything. The place is quite big so I recommend to take a bottle of water with you. Since the place is still active and works as cemetery, be respectful. At the time when I was visiting the place, there was an ongoing funeral and a lot of mourning people in black were standing behind the gate in front of the chapel at the place. In this kind of situations I try to disturb people the least, and not grab any attention as a tourist.
Enjoying the Days (18 months ago)
Why is it that in the older years people had such ornate and creative grave markers while today we see mostly rectangular slabs? First Cemetery of Athens is a place laden with thoughtful and creative monuments. If you appreciate the architecture of historic cemeteries, then we recommend that you add this place to your list of stops while in Athens.
herm dig (2 years ago)
Leave the madness of the 8 lane highway outside the gate and step into an oasis of calm and peace. The traffic is still audible in the background but once inside you are lost in a vast marble sculpture park of funerary monuments with cypress trees towering overhead providing welcome shade. It is always sobering to walk in these places but here it is genuinely uplifting to see the wonderful architecture of all types that has been erected to venerate long gone ancestors. From the enormous entrance canopy, past the pastel-coloured chapel, along the orange-tree lined concourse surrounded by the most extravagant monuments, and into the long avenues of more simple graves, this place rivals the Acropolis as the most astonishing attraction of Athens. A delightful and refreshing way to spend a couple of hours of your holiday.
George Sato (2 years ago)
End of the line, folks! But some cemeteries here have an amazing architecture.
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