English Cemetery, Cemetery in Estrela, Lisbon, Portugal
The Cimetière anglais, also known as the English Cemetery, is a Protestant burial ground in the Estrela neighborhood of Lisbon, Portugal. Its entrance is marked by a gate with a coat of arms, and the grounds hold rows of old gravestones set among tall cypress trees, olive trees, and palms.
The cemetery was founded in 1724 by English merchants who purchased the land on the condition that tall trees be planted along its edges to screen the interior from view. Over time, a neighboring plot belonging to Dutch traders was joined to the first, and the two communities came to share the same ground.
Many of the gravestones carry inscriptions in English, Dutch, or German, reflecting the wide range of origins of those buried here. A church service takes place every Sunday morning in the chapel dedicated to Saint George, giving visitors a chance to see the site in use.
The cemetery is located on Rua de São Jorge in the Estrela neighborhood and is easy to reach on foot from the nearby park of the same name. It is generally open on weekdays in the late morning, but closed on Saturdays.
The oldest grave on the grounds belongs to Francis Laroche and dates to 1724, the very year the cemetery was established. There is also a dragon tree on the site that is said to be over 300 years old, standing near the chapel of Saint George.
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