(Reuters) – The memorial dedicated to Edson Arantes do Nascimento, Pele, is a luxurious mausoleum where the remains of the Brazilian idol rest in a solid gold coffin on the outskirts of Sao Paulo.
The tomb where “O Rei” was buried after his death at 83 from advanced colon cancer is on the first floor of the Memorial Necropole Ecumenica vertical cemetery, considered the highest in the world, located less than a kilometre from the Vila Belmiro stadium of his beloved club Santos.
With a stadium-like setting, images of fans in the stands, synthetic turf on the floor and a small painted sky on the ceiling, the room where the three-time world champion is laid to rest features two life-size golden statues in addition to the gleaming coffin.
The golden tomb is adorned with a cross at the top and two panels on the sides, recreating the 1000th goal and the famous fist-in-the-air celebration he made when scoring at the Maracana stadium in 1969.
In the corners of the memorial hall are the only three jerseys worn by the Brazilian idol, the one from Santos, the Brazilian national team and the New York Cosmos, where he retired in 1977.
The venue is expected to attract visitors from all over the world, turning the city of Santos into a tourist attraction, but at the moment only 60 people a day are allowed in, subject to registration.
(Reporting by Angelica Medina in Mexico City; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
