The First Cemetery of Athens (, 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 prestigious cemetery for Greeks 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 a large green space with pines and cypresses.The First Cemetery of 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, designed by Ernst Ziller; Ioannis Pesmazoglou; Georgios Averoff; and one tomb with a famous sculpture of a dead young girl called I Koimomeni ("The Sleeping Girl") and sculpted by Yannoulis Chalepas from the island of Tinos. 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 a historical monument.
Notable interments Sylva Akrita, politician and anti-junta activist Odysseas Androutsos, hero of the Greek War of Independence George Averoff, philanthropist, businessman Sotiria Bellou, singer Nikolaos Bourandas, police and fire service general, politician Yannoulis Chalepas, sculptor Christodoulos, Archbishop of Athens Chrysostomos II, Archbishop of Athens Richard Church, general Jules Dassin, director, actor Stratos Dionysiou, singer Dorotheus, Archbishop of Athens Odysseas Elytis, poet, 1979 Nobel Laureate in literature Demetrios Farmakopoulos, painter George Finlay, historian Adolf Furtwängler, archaeologist Manolis Glezos, journalist, WWII hero, and politician Dimitris Horn, actor Humphrey Jennings, filmmaker Georgios Kafantaris, Prime Minister of Greece Dimitrios Kallergis, statesman Konstantinos Kanaris, hero of the Greek War of Independence, admiral, statesman Tzeni Karezi, actress Manos Katrakis, actor Nikos Kavvadias, poet Theodoros Kolokotronis, pre-eminent leader of the Greek War of Independence, general Marika Kotopouli, actress Ellie Lambeti, actress Grigoris Lambrakis, politician Zoe Laskari, actress Vassilis Logothetidis, actor Orestis Makris, actor Yannis Makriyannis, merchant, military officer, politician, author Manolis Mantakas, army officer, and politician Alexandros Mavrokordatos, politician Melina Mercouri, actress, politician Andreas Michalakopoulos, politician Dimitris Mitropanos, singer Dimitri Mitropoulos, conductor, pianist, composer Nikitaras, hero of the Greek War of Independence Kostis Palamas, poet Alexandros Panagoulis, politician, poet, democracy activist Antonios Papadakis, University of Athens' greatest benefactor Georgios Papadopoulos, military dictator during the Regime of the Colonels Dimitris Papamichael, actor and director Alexandros Papanastasiou, lawyer Andreas Papandreou, Prime Minister of Greece George Papandreou, Prime Minister of Greece Kalliroi Parren, feminist Katina Paxinou, actress George Polk, American journalist murdered during the Greek Civil War Théodore Ralli, painter Alexandros Rizos Rangavis, poet Georgios Roubanis, athlete Demis Roussos, singer Alekos Sakellarios, director, screenwriter, lyricist Rita Sakellariou, singer Christos Sartzetakis, President of Greece Dionysis Savvopoulos, singer Heinrich Schliemann, amateur archaeologist who excavated the site of Troy Sophia Schliemann, his second wife, philanthropist Giorgos Seferis, poet Seraphim, Archbishop of Athens Angelos Sikelianos, poet Costas Simitis, Prime Minister of Greece Spyros Spyromilios, military officer Michael Tositsas, benefactor Charilaos Trikoupis, Prime Minister of Greece Antonis Tritsis, Mayor of Athens Vassilis Tsitsanis, rebetiko composer Ioannis Varvakis, member of Filiki Eteria Thanasis Veggos, actor Sofia Vembo, singer
Aliki Vougiouklaki, actress T.H. White, author Emmanuil Xanthos, a founder of the Filiki Eteria Nikos Xilouris, singer and composer Nikos Zachariadis, politician, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) from 1931 to 1956 Napoleon Zervas, Hellenic Army officer and WWII resistance leader Ernst Ziller, architect Xenophon Zolotas, Prime Minister of Greece
Gallery
References
Papyrus Larousse Britannica, 2006
External links