The mausoleum in honor of Brazilian soccer hero Pele has been opened to the public after a refurbishment.
On the 15th (local time), ABC and others reported that the mausoleum in the Necropole Ecumenica Cemetery in Santos, Brazil, was opened to the public to commemorate Pele, who died in December last year.
In the mausoleum on the second floor of the cemetery, two golden statues of Pele are installed on both sides of the entrance, and the floor is covered with artificial grass reminiscent of a soccer field. Images of cheering fans hang on the walls, and Pele’s playing uniform is adorned next to a golden coffin.
Pele passed away at the age of 82 in December of last year after undergoing treatment for colon cancer since 2021. He was buried in this cemetery on January 3 of this year, five days after his passing. This cemetery is where Pele said openly in 2003, “I liked it because it didn’t look like a cemetery,” and “I felt spiritual peace and tranquility.”
The mausoleum in honor of Pele was planned by Argentinian architect Pepe Altutt, who also designed the cemetery. This cemetery holds the Guinness World Record for the tallest cemetery in the world.
Altsutt wanted to build a mausoleum for Pele on the ninth floor overlooking the Vila Belmiro Stadium, the home stadium of Santos FC, where Pele played for 18 years. newly made
Edinho, Pele’s son, said, “This place was made with a lot of love from people who knew Pele and lived with him.”
“Pele is part of my life,” said 56-year-old Roberto Milano, who identified himself as a former footballer. “As we get older, we look for role models. Perhaps Pele was the most influential of all the role models we remember.”
Fans wishing to visit the site must reserve a time on the cemetery website.
Pele is the only player to have won the World Cup three times in 1958, 1962 and 1970. Last month, Mischaelis, a Portuguese dictionary published in Brazil, registered ‘Pele’ as an adjective meaning someone “exceptionally outstanding, incomparable, and unique.”
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.