Merry Cemetery, Transylvania, Romania

4midway42 5:00 PM Nov 9, 2021

A sumptuous visual feast.
Of all the regions in Romania, Maramures is commonly considered to be the one most closely linked to the traditional if overly romanticized “peasant” way of life. A whimsical addition to this can be found in Sapanta at the Merry Cemetery. Begun in 1935 by the local artist Stan Ioan Patras, the graveyard contains over 800 uniquely carved oak crosses; each of these contains a whimsical saying and picture above which documents the deceased life. I visited here early in the morning with my guide. We walked around the area for about an hour, stopping at random graves while he would interpret the inscription for me and we would try to link it to the picture and name above. There was a church service taking place at the time which only added to the atmosphere and experience. A visit at the small onsite souvenir store and numerous stalls outside completed the experience. Overall this was a memorable visit for several reasons. First, as the title implies this was simply fun to look at. It’s impossible to forget you’re in a cemetery here but even if you could, visually the place is indelible. Second, for those of us interested in the individual human experience as a part of general history, there are an abundance of singular stories here. An 85-year old farmer who has lived a “full life” watching his grandchildren grow up sadly shares a row of graves with a three year-old girl killed in a traffic accident. Last, my visit here made me reevaluate the dying process and cemeteries in general (seriously!). Most places understandably tend to lean towards instilling somber/morose/melancholy feelings however I honestly left this place feeling, dare I say, happy… an interesting takeaway from a unique attraction. It’s inexpensive, unique, and memorable. Thumbs up.

5CSummer 5:00 PM Oct 27, 2022

Distinct and Unique
Truly a unique experience. Costs 15 lei to enter. Wooden crosses have hand painted pictures which are meant to give a sense of the person buried in that plot. Underneath the painting is a description of the person’s life or how they died. It’s all in Romanian so try to find someone who can translate them for you. I liked the one which said “here lies Mr X who married wife #1, she left, he married wife #2 and they separated, was about to marry wife #3 and unfortunately died.