First Cemetery of Athens
The First Cemetery of Athens is the oldest and most prestigious public burial ground in the Greek capital, established by royal decree in 1837 shortly after the founding of the modern Greek state to replace intra-church burials prohibited following Ottoman liberation.[1][2] Located at the end of Anapafseos Street south of the Panathenaic Stadium and beyond the Ilisos River, it encompasses an earlier cemetery around the Church of Saint Lazarus and has operated continuously since its inception, expanding in the 1940s to include sections for Protestant, Jewish, and Catholic burials.[3][4][1] The cemetery houses the remains of key figures from Greece's War of Independence, including generals Theodoros Kolokotronis and Konstantinos Kanaris, as well as scholars like Adamantios Korais, archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann, and numerous politicians, artists, and intellectuals who shaped modern Hellenic identity.[3][5] Beyond its historical burials, the site stands as an open-air repository of Greek sculpture, featuring over 1,000 monuments, tombs, and artworks by prominent 19th- and early 20th-century artists and architects such as Yannoulis Chalepas—creator of the renowned "Sleeping Girl"—Lysandros Kaftantzoglou, and Ernst Ziller, blending neoclassical, romantic, and later styles in marble and other media.[1][2][6]History
Establishment and Founding
The First Cemetery of Athens was established by royal decree in 1837, shortly after the formation of the modern Greek Kingdom under King Otto, to serve as the capital's primary burial ground following the Greek War of Independence.[7][1] Prior to this, burials had commonly occurred within or around churches in the liberated city, but a 1834 municipal ordinance prohibited such practices within urban church precincts to address public health concerns and urban planning needs in the expanding capital.[8] The selected site in the sparsely populated Mets district, southeast of central Athens, incorporated an existing small church dedicated to Saint Lazarus (or Therapon in some accounts), which became the cemetery's initial focal point.[4][3] The founding reflected broader efforts to modernize Athens as the new nation's capital, drawing on European models of organized extramural cemeteries to replace haphazard wartime and Ottoman-era practices.[2] Initial tombs were constructed around the Saint Lazarus church starting in 1837, marking the cemetery's operational beginning and its role as a prestigious site for both Greek nationals and foreign residents, including philhellenes who had supported the independence struggle.[4] This establishment predated further expansions and positioned the cemetery as a symbol of national resurrection, aligning with the era's neoclassical urban vision under Bavarian-influenced administration.[7]Expansion and Development
The First Cemetery of Athens began as a modest burial ground on donated land, with initial works commencing in 1837 under the city's architect and officially founded in 1838 during the mayoralty of Dimitrios Kallifronas. Its early size remains undocumented precisely, but it operated from a core area by 1839 and expanded incrementally alongside Athens's urban growth after the removal of the Ottoman-era city walls in the 1840s, enabling northward extension.[9][10] Significant enlargements occurred in 1856 and 1878, increasing capacity for individual and family plots amid rising demand from the expanding capital's population. These phases facilitated the incorporation of more elaborate mausolea and the Jewish section, evidenced by inscriptions dating to 1844, though formal adjacent allocations for non-Orthodox burials continued evolving into the 1860s. By the late 19th century, the site had developed into a structured necropolis with defined paths, vegetation, and monumental tombs, reflecting influences from European models like Père Lachaise.[3][11] In the 1940s, further development added dedicated areas for Protestants and Jews, accommodating Catholics within the Protestant zone, to address interfaith needs in a diversifying Athens. The cemetery ultimately reached 225,000 square meters, supporting over 10,000 family graves and 2,077 sculpted monuments by 108 artists, while remaining operational with reduced burials in modern times. This progression underscored its evolution from a peripheral plot to a key civic and cultural landmark, paralleling Greece's post-independence state-building.[1][12][4]Location and Physical Characteristics
Site Description
The First Cemetery of Athens occupies a site at the northern terminus of Anapafseos Street in central Athens, positioned east of the city center between Ardittos Hill and the Ilisos River, immediately adjacent to the Panathinaiko Stadium and behind the Temple of Olympian Zeus.[13][9] The terrain encompasses approximately 162,473 square meters, forming a gently sloping hillside that integrates with the surrounding urban landscape while maintaining a distinct, enclosed green expanse.[9] The site's physical characteristics include a verdant covering of pine and cypress trees, which dominate the landscape and contribute to its shaded, park-like atmosphere, evoking a sense of tranquility amid the densely populated capital.[4] Internal pathways and roads, some named after 19th-century Greek monarchs such as King Otto and Queen Amalia, as well as heroes of the Greek Revolution, traverse the area, dividing it into functional sections while facilitating pedestrian access.[9] Key infrastructural elements on the site comprise the central Church of Agios Lazaros, constructed in 1840, alongside later additions like the Church of Agii Theodoroi (1899–1901) and a Byzantine-style ossuary built in 1928, which serve both ceremonial and practical purposes within the cemetery's operational framework.[9] A Catholic chapel dedicated to Agios Karolos, funded by the Fix family, further diversifies the site's religious accommodations.[9] Overall, the cemetery functions as an active burial ground accommodating over 12,300 tombs, blending natural seclusion with neoclassical marble elements that enhance its monumental character.[9][2]Layout and Sections
The First Cemetery of Athens occupies approximately 27 hectares on the southeastern slopes of Ardittos Hill, featuring a park-like arrangement of winding paths, mature pine and cypress trees, and terraced terrain that follows the natural topography.[4] The site's irregular layout evolved incrementally from its initial establishment, with central avenues branching into narrower alleys that delineate burial plots, family mausolea, and ossuaries, often clustered without strict geometric order to accommodate organic growth and topographic constraints.[14] The cemetery is subdivided into 18 numbered sections, originating from a single original plot and expanding haphazardly over time, which has led to frequently shifting boundaries and a non-sequential numbering system that confounds systematic navigation.[14][15] A rudimentary map affixed at the main entrance indicates these section numbers but provides limited guidance on individual grave locations, reflecting the cemetery's ad hoc development rather than a planned urban design.[15] Sections vary in density and style, with earlier ones near the entrance containing more neoclassical monuments and later expansions incorporating simpler, modern interments. Specialized areas exist for non-Greek Orthodox communities, including a now-disused Jewish section and designated zones for foreign expatriates, where inscriptions in languages such as English predominate, catering to international burials from the 19th and 20th centuries.[2][16] These divisions accommodate over 10,000 permanent family tombs alongside more than 2,000 temporary three-year graves, primarily for Greek Orthodox deceased, with the overall configuration prioritizing accessibility via pedestrian paths while preserving green spaces.[3]Architecture and Monuments
Key Architectural Features
The First Cemetery of Athens features a design rooted in 19th-century neoclassical and romantic styles, with tombs and monuments predominantly constructed from Pentelic marble, which provides a characteristic white aesthetic and durability suited to the Mediterranean climate.[4][17] This material, quarried from nearby Mount Pentelicus, was selected for its historical precedence in ancient Greek architecture and its resistance to weathering.[4] The cemetery's entrance consists of a grand neoclassical gate emphasizing symmetry and classical proportions, serving as the primary access point along Anapafseos Street.[17] Within the grounds, a small neoclassical chapel functions as a central structure for religious services, featuring restrained ornamentation typical of the era's emphasis on harmony and proportion.[17] The overall layout, established in 1837, originally followed a grid-like pattern for orderly navigation but expanded organically to cover approximately 170 acres, incorporating winding paths amid cypress and pine trees that enhance the romantic atmosphere of contemplative seclusion.[17][3] Many family tombs and mausolea draw on ancient Greek motifs, including Doric columns, stelae, and temple-inspired forms, often combined with romantic elements such as expressive symbolic sculptures denoting themes of eternal sleep or the soul's departure.[4][18] This blend reflects the cemetery's role as an open-air gallery honoring Greece's classical heritage while adapting European cemetery design principles of the Romantic period, which prioritized individualized memorials over uniformity.[17][18]