Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
A view of Brașov’s Old Town.
Romania • 12 days, 11 nights
Legends of Romania: Castles, Ruins & Culinary Delights
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Ñaño house with mausoleum skull in foreground.
Ñaño Casa Museo
Honningsvåg Bamse Statue
Honningsvåg Bamse Statue
The salt cairn.
The Lewis and Clark Salt Works
South entrance.
Reigate Tunnel
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
Names on the bartop.
The Dive
Cacio e pepe lasagna combines two classics.
C'è Pasta... E Pasta!
Spaghetto taratatà is named for the sound of rattling sabers.
Giano Restaurant
The gnocchi here get blanketed in a sugo with braised oxtail.
Cesare al Pellegrino
Romans insist you should feel the cracked peppercorns and cheese grains on your tongue.
Flavio al Velavevodetto
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
The 2,653-mile-long Pacific Crest Trail spans the entire West Coast from Canada to Mexico.
Meet the Volunteers Who Keep Thru-Hikers Moving
9 days ago
The Haskell Free Library and Opera House building on the U.S.-Canadian border.
Could New Border Restrictions Literally Tear the Haskell Free Library Apart?
10 days ago
A woman peering into the cave of Sarah Bishop c. 1900.
The Curious History of New England’s Hermit Tourism
10 days ago
The Big Well
This Kansas Town Advertised the World’s Largest Well. It Wasn’t.
11 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Greece Messinia The Well at Meligalas

The Well at Meligalas

A somber memorial at the site where hundreds of prisoners and civilians were executed in the aftermath of World War II.

Messinia, Greece

Added By
Evan Panagopoulos
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Rows of crosses in the field of execution.   explorabilia / Atlas Obscura User
Rows of crosses in the field of execution.   explorabilia / Atlas Obscura User
The concrete cross at the Meligalas site.   explorabilia / Atlas Obscura User
Men and women of all ages as well as unrecognized bodies lay in the field of execution   explorabilia / Atlas Obscura User
Rows of crosses in the field of execution   explorabilia / Atlas Obscura User
The chapel, monument, and memorial wall at Meligalas.   explorabilia / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

In the immediate aftermath of the Axis occupation of Greece, the quaint village of Meligalas in the southern region of Messinia became the site of one of the darkest pages in the country's history.

In September, 1944, communist guerrilla forces of EAM-ELAS encircled the retreating forces of the collaborationist Security Battalions. After defeating them in pitched combat, the guerrillas executed the surrendered militiamen along with scores of civilians from surrounding villages who were suspected of sympathizing with them.

The dark events took place over the course of four days. Hundreds of prisoners were summarily tried and executed as the guerrillas looted and burned the village of Meligalas. There are 787 names in the memorial wall, although other sources cite that 1,144 or more men and women of all ages were killed in a field outside the village, their bodies thrown in a nearby well.   

Today, a massive concrete cross marks the location of the executions, and the well where the bodies were deposited can still be seen. At the site is a monument, ossuary, chapel, memorial wall, and the field with hundreds of crosses bearing the names and ages of the dead. They commemorate this atrocity that marked the opening stages of the Greek Civil War and which, decades later, still divides politics and public opinion in Greece.   

Related Tags

Memorials War History Execution Monuments Military

Know Before You Go

The site is about 31 kilometers from Kalamata, on the village road linking Meligalas with nearby Neochori. It can be easily reached by car and there is some off-road parking space for those who stop by.

Community Contributors

Added By

explorabilia

Published

August 21, 2018

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://explorabilia.wordpress.com/2018/08/12/the-well-of-death/
  • www.wikipedia.com
The Well at Meligalas
Unnamed Road
Messinia
Greece
37.223115, 21.95418
Get Directions

Nearby Places

St. Theodora's Chapel

Arcadia, Greece

miles away

Church of the Virgin Mary

Kalamata, Greece

miles away

Church of Agioi Apostoloi (Church of the Holy Apostles)

Kalamata, Greece

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Messinia

Messinia

Greece

Places 2

Nearby Places

St. Theodora's Chapel

Arcadia, Greece

miles away

Church of the Virgin Mary

Kalamata, Greece

miles away

Church of Agioi Apostoloi (Church of the Holy Apostles)

Kalamata, Greece

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Messinia

Messinia

Greece

Places 2

Related Places

  • Bihać, Bosnia and Herzegovina

    Garavice Memorial Park

    A forgotten and crumbling Yugoslav monument to the victims of fascism.

  • Free French Memorial with views across Greenock and Inverclyde Royal Hospital.

    Greenock, Scotland

    Free French Memorial Cross

    A war memorial dedicated to the Free French Naval forces of World War II.

  • Rome, Italy

    Monument to the Fallen of Dogali

    An ancient Egyptian obelisk is now used to commemorate fallen Italian soldiers.

  • Nelson’s Monument

    Glasgow, Scotland

    Nelson Monument Glasgow

    One of the first monuments dedicated to the accomplishments of the great Vice Admiral, Horatio Nelson.

  • Monument to the Unknown Hero.

    Beli Potok, Serbia

    Monument to the Unknown Hero

    Near Belgrade, an ancient-looking sarcophagus serves as a World War I monument.

  • Wellington Monument (Statue of Achilles).

    London, England

    Wellington Monument

    This once-controversial and slightly confusing statue of Achilles was built out of captured cannons.

  • Memorial cross near the soldiers’ graves.

    Kristiansand, Norway

    Executed Russian POWs' Memorial Graves

    Five soviet prisoners of war were executed at this spot just days before the liberation of Norway.

  • Statue and cedar-shaped memorial in Veracruz.

    Veracruz, Mexico

    Plaza of the Lebanese Migrant

    A coastal monument honors one of Mexico's most notable immigrant groups.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.