First Cemetery of Athens
Museum Historic Athens cemetery with notable graves and monuments
Athens’ principal 19th‑century cemetery, notable for elaborate funerary sculpture and graves of statesmen, writers and artists. Walks here appeal to those studying neoclassical monuments and modern Greek history.
The First Cemetery of Athens is the main cemetery of the city of Athens and one of the earliest modern burial grounds established after Greek independence. It is the principal public cemetery for the city and a focal point for Greek funerary art.
A wide range of monuments and family mausoleums line the cemetery avenues, with numerous neoclassical and twentieth-century sculptural memorials. Many visitors come to study the funerary sculpture or to visit the graves of prominent Greek politicians, writers and artists.
The cemetery was laid out in the 19th century to serve the growing modern capital and has been used continuously since then, accumulating funerary architecture that spans two centuries. Over time family vaults and sculpted monuments were added, creating the park-like cemetery visible today.
Located within the city of Athens, the cemetery sits inside the urban area and serves as the city’s principal burial ground.
- Monuments and sculpture: Contains numerous 19th- and 20th-century funerary monuments and family mausoleums by notable Greek sculptors, making it of interest to those who study funerary art.
- Principal civic cemetery: Open to the public and used as the principal civic cemetery of modern Athens, it also holds the graves of many Greek statesmen and cultural figures.
How to Get to First Cemetery of Athens #
By metro: Evangelismos or Syntagma stations are nearby with a short bus or taxi ride; local buses serve Ralli Avenue and nearby streets.
Tips for Visiting First Cemetery of Athens #
- Allow time to walk the central avenue and study the portrait‑plaques and sculptures - many 19th‑ and 20th‑century Greek artists and statesmen are buried here.
- Respect local customs: the cemetery is an active site of remembrance and occasional commemorative ceremonies.
- Look for the tomb of Melina Mercouri and Konstantinos Karamanlis; the statues and reliefs reward closer inspection.
Best Time to Visit First Cemetery of Athens #
Best in spring and autumn for comfortable walking and attentive visits.
Weather & Climate near First Cemetery of Athens #
First Cemetery of Athens's climate is classified as Hot-Summer Mediterranean - Hot-Summer Mediterranean climate with hot summers (peaking in July) and cold winters (coldest in January). Temperatures range from 6°C to 32°C. Semi-arid with limited rainfall.
January
January is the coolest month with highs of 13°C and lows of 6°C. Moderate rainfall (48 mm) and partly cloudy skies.
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February
February is cold with highs of 13°C and lows of 7°C. Moderate rainfall (49 mm) and partly cloudy skies.
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March
March is cool with highs of 16°C and lows of 8°C. Moderate rainfall (53 mm) and partly cloudy skies.
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April
April is cool with highs of 20°C and lows of 11°C. Moderate rainfall (32 mm).
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May
May is mild with highs of 25°C and lows of 16°C. Light rainfall.
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June
June is warm with highs of 30°C and lows of 20°C. Almost no rain and clear sunny skies.
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July
July is the hottest month, feeling like 28°C. The driest month with just 7 mm and clear sunny skies.
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August
August is warm, feeling like 28°C. The driest month with just 7 mm and clear sunny skies.
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September
September is mild with highs of 28°C and lows of 19°C. Light rainfall and mostly sunny skies.
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October
October is mild with highs of 23°C and lows of 15°C. Moderate rainfall (46 mm).
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November
November is cool with highs of 18°C and lows of 11°C. Moderate rainfall (62 mm) and partly cloudy skies.
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December
December is cool with highs of 14°C and lows of 8°C. The wettest month with 66 mm of rain and partly cloudy skies.
