The "Imprisoned Graves" are a set of graves in a small

cemetery A cemetery, burial ground, gravesite or graveyard is a place where the remains of dead people are buried or otherwise interred. The word ''cemetery'' (from Greek , "sleeping place") implies that the land is specifically designated as a bu ...

located in the

Central Jail of Nicosia The Central Jail of Nicosia is the only prison of the Republic of Cyprus. The unrecognized republic of Northern Cyprus also has its own prison. The Central Jail of Nicosia is run by the Cyprus Prisons Department. It is located west of the walled ...

, where 13

EOKA The Ethniki Organosis Kyprion Agoniston (EOKA; ; el, Εθνική Οργάνωσις Κυπρίων Αγωνιστών, lit=National Organisation of Cypriot Fighters) was a Greek Cypriot nationalist paramilitary organisation that fought a camp ...

fighters, during the 1955-1959 liberation struggle for the liberation of

Cyprus Cyprus ; tr, Kıbrıs (), officially the Republic of Cyprus,, , lit: Republic of Cyprus is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its continental position is disputed; while it is ...

from the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

, were interred. Nine of them were hanged by British executioner Harry Allen, three were killed in action and one died in hospital from wounds. The tombs were built in an area adjacent to the cells of the condemned and close to the gallows where they would be executed. The area is surrounded by tall walls and covered by glass. Having a small, private cemetery was the idea of

Governor Sir John Harding, who did not want the funerals of EOKA fighters to be turned into demonstrations against British rule. The condemned, as well as the four others who died, would be buried in the area without any relatives or a priest present. The nine men who were

hanged Hanging is the suspension of a person by a noose or ligature around the neck.Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed. Hanging as method of execution is unknown, as method of suicide from 1325. The ''Oxford English Dictionary'' states that hanging in ...

were buried immediately following their executions. To save space, they were buried two to a grave. The nine men who are

on the

gallows A gallows (or scaffold) is a frame or elevated beam, typically wooden, from which objects can be suspended (i.e., hung) or "weighed". Gallows were thus widely used to suspend public weighing scales for large and heavy objects such as sacks ...

were: *

Michalis Karaolis Michalis Karaolis ( el, Μιχαλάκης Καραολής; 13 February 1933 – 10 May 1956) was a Cypriot public official and revolutionary. Born in the village of Palaichori Oreinis of Pitsilia, Karaolis worked as a government clerk and a mem ...

- executed 10 May 1956 * Andreas DimitriouCYPRUS: Deepening Tragedy
Time Magazine, Monday, May. 21, 1956. - executed 10 May 1956 * Iakovos Patatsos - executed 9 August 1956 * Andreas Zakos - executed 9 August 1956 * Harilaos Michael - executed 9 August 1956 *

Michail Koutsoftas Michael may refer to: People * Michael (given name), a given name * Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael Given name "Michael" * Michael (archangel), ''first'' of God's archangels in the Jewish, Christian and ...

- executed 21 September 1956 *

Stelios Mavrommatis Stelios (Greek: Στέλιος) or formally Stylianos (Greek: Στυλιανός) is a Greek first name. This name is given to honor St. Stylianos, a Greek Orthodox saint, the protector of children. The name is derived from the Greek word στυλ� ...

- executed 21 September 1956 *

Andreas Panagidis Andreas ( el, Ἀνδρέας) is a name usually given to males in Austria, Greece, Cyprus, Denmark, Armenia, Estonia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Finland, Flanders, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Romania, the Netherlands, and Indonesia. The name ...

- executed 21 September 1956 *

Evagoras Pallikaridis Evagoras Pallikarides (; 26 February 1938 – 14 March 1957) was a Greek-Cypriot poet and revolutionary who was a member of EOKA during the 1955–1959 campaign against British rule in Cyprus. He was arrested on 18 December 1956 when he was caug ...

- executed 14 March 1957 The other four were: * Markos Drakos *

Grigoris Afxentiou Grigoris Pieris Afxentiou ( el, Γρηγόρης Πιερής Αυξεντίου; 22 February 1928 – 3 March 1957) was a Greek-Cypriot insurgent leader who led campaigns against the British colonial government as a member of EOKA. He was second ...

Stylianos Lenas Stylianos Lenas ( el, Στυλιανός Λένας; 20 June 1931-28 March 1957) was a member of EOKA, and one of the Cypriots who were wounded in battle against British soldiers. Early life Lenas was born into a poor family in Chandria. When h ...

* Kyriakos Matsis After Cyprus gained her independence, the area became a national monument where thousands visit. A sign proclaiming "Του ανδρειωμένου ο θάνατος, θάνατος δεν λογιέται" - "The brave man's death is no death at all" was put up against one of the walls. During the

Turkish invasion of Cyprus The Turkish invasion of Cyprus began on 20 July 1974 and progressed in two phases over the following month. Taking place upon a background of intercommunal violence between Greek and Turkish Cypriots, and in response to a Greek junta-spo ...

(1974) battles raged around the Central Jail of Lefkosia. Vastly outnumbered, the Cypriot national guardsmen - aided by corrections officers - managed to fight off the Turks and keep the jail with its Imprisoned Tombs from being captured. Today, the cemetery along with the cells and the gallows function as a museum, open every day between 8:30 and 14:00 for the visitors. Taking photos and videos are allowed, but mobile telephones are not (because the museum resides within the territory of the

References

{{coord, 35, 10, 49.51, N, 33, 20, 37.28, E, region:CY, display=title EOKA Cemeteries in Cyprus

See also

References