On the suburbs of Sao Paulo lies a memorial that is devoted to Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known as Pele. This memorial is a sumptuous mausoleum where the bones of the Brazilian idol repose in a casket made of pure gold.
After passing away at the age of 83 from severe colon cancer, “O Rei” was laid to rest in a tomb that is placed on the first level of the Memorial Necropole Ecumenica vertical cemetery, which is regarded to be the tallest in the world. This cemetery is situated less than a kilometer away from the Vila Belmiro stadium, which is home to his beloved team Santos.
The area where the three-time world champion will be laid to rest contains two life-size golden statues in addition to the glistening coffin. The space is decorated to resemble a stadium, with pictures of supporters in the bleachers, synthetic grass on the floor, and a miniature painted sky on the ceiling. In addition, the room has a stadium-like backdrop.
The golden mausoleum is embellished with a crucifix at the top and two panels on the sides that recreate the legendary fist-in-the-air celebration that Pele performed upon scoring his 1000th goal at the Maracana stadium in 1969.
The only three jerseys that the Brazilian legend ever wore are displayed in the four corners of the memorial hall. These include the jerseys that he wore when playing for Santos, the Brazilian national team, and the New York Cosmos, the team from which he retired in 1977.
It is anticipated that the location would draw tourists from all over the world, therefore transforming the city of Santos into a popular tourist destination; however, at the present time, only sixty persons per day are permitted entry, and registration is required.