Football legend Pele’s grave site has been made accessible to the public. Located on the second floor of a vertical cemetery in Santos, fans now have the opportunity to pay their respects to Edson Arantes do Nascimento. The room has been designed to resemble a stadium, complete with artificial grass flooring, images of fans on the walls, and a recording of cheering fans playing on loop. Pele’s coffin is prominently displayed in the 2,100 square foot room.
Pele, who passed away on December 30, 2022, is laid to rest in a solid gold casket as an homage to the golden trophy he received after leading Brazil to World Cup victory three times in 12 years. He was interred on January 3, five days after succumbing to colon cancer at the age of 82.
The mausoleum was envisioned by the cemetery’s owner, the late Pepe Alstut, who aimed for it to be situated on the ninth floor overlooking the Santos club’s Vila Belmiro Stadium, where Pele had a distinguished 18-year career. However, his family opted to place him on the second floor to make it more accessible to fans.
The mausoleum contains an array of memorabilia, including Pele’s Brazilian national and Santos club shirts, as well as a coffin adorned with engravings representing pivotal moments in his illustrious career, such as his 100th goal and his iconic raised-fist celebration.
Entry to the mausoleum is by appointment only, with a limit of 60 visitors per day. Pele, who secured World Cup victories in 1958, 1962, and 1970, remains the sole player to achieve this feat. In 1999, the International Olympic Committee named Pele the “athlete of the century.” Following his retirement in 1977, he served as a “champion for sport” for UNESCO and lent his support to UNICEF as a goodwill ambassador. Recently, a Brazilian dictionary included ‘Pele’ as an adjective denoting someone “exceptional, incomparable, unique.”
