A place where death can have some funny aspects. Not always because not all the people are going to the other side at 70+ years but still this is a place where the popular art becomes part of the death.

Natürlich muss man den fröhlichen Friedhof gesehen haben - dafür sollte man sich auch unbedingt ein bisschen Zeit nehmen - die vielen bunten Tafeln haben nämlich einige Geschichten zu erzählen - man muss gar nicht unbedingt Rumänisch können - die Bilder alleine sind schon aussagekräftig genug. Bei manchen wird einfach beschrieben, mit was sich der Verstorbene in seinem Leben gerne beschäftigt hat oder was sein Beruf war. Andere erzählen jedoch auch, wie der Betreffende ums Leben gekommen ist - manchmal sind das doch sehr traurige Geschichten. Der Eintritt pro Person beträgt 10 Lei (also etwa 2 Euro)

🔝Amazing experience....the most interesting experience in a graveyard👌 The Merry Cemetery (🇷🇴 Romanian: ❤️Cimitirul Vesel) is a cemetery in the village of Săpânța, Maramureş county, Romania. It is famous 🔝for its colourful tombstones with naïve🎨 paintings describing, in an original and lyric manner, the people who are buried there as well as scenes from their lives. ℹ️The Merry Cemetery is an open-air museum and a national tourist attraction.The cemetery's origins are linked to Stan Ioan Pătraş the local artist who sculpted the first tombstone crosses. 🔖The Merry Cemetery from Sapanta can be visited daily, between 10:00 and 18:00, and the entrance fee is 5 lei / person(~1EUR). For taking photos the fee is 5 lei, and for filming is 10 lei. 💡Travel challenge: Find the tombstone regarding the mother-in-law;)

The place is beautiful. We paid 5 lei for the ticket, the place was full of people yet the place didn't have a proper bathroom, no soap and no paper to soak your hands. Dissapointing to visit a beautiful place and cannot do your needs in a proper way.

Der fröhliche Friedhof ist absolut empfehlenswert und einen Besuch wert. Auch wenn man kein Rumänisch kann, kann man anhand der Bilder erkennen was der Verstorbene gearbeitet und erlebt hat.

Rather than a cemetery, it is an incredible national exhibition of woodcarving and the life stories of the people who lived in the village. As you go through the colorful tombstones, you read and imagine how people lived when they were alive, each with their own hobbies, good deeds, and also sins. Death does not seem sad and unfamiliar here, it’s just the second life in the memories of those who continue living. In the cemetery church candles can be lit "for those who are alive" and "for those who are dead", because all of them need our respect and attention. No wonder this place is a Unesco World Heritage site. It is magnificent, unique and definitely worth a visit!

Ich finde die Grabsteine toll 🤩, sie erzählen die Geschichte Leben und Arbeit/Beruf des jeweils Verstorbenen 👍 oder Anekdoten wie z.B. „er war dem weiblichen Wesen zugetan und hat sich da so machen Ärger eingefangen“ oder „Ihr Frohsinn und Zuspruch und Trost war eine …… (der Rest war leider nicht mehr lesbar 🥹). Wir haben einen Übersetzer Russisch und Rumänisch benutzt, zum großen Teil war die Übersetzung verständlich 😄☺️👍. Die Kirche war schön aber wir haben viel an den Grabsteinen verbracht ☺️

(Translated by Google) Interesting . Worth a visit. Something unique in the world. Each cross is a story of a life and a profession. (Original) Foarte interesant . Merita vizitată. Ceva unic în lume . Fiecare cruce este o poveste a unei vieți si a unei profesii.

The Săpânţa village (in Maramures County, Romania) fame comes from his famous Merry Cemetery which has become an internationally recognized tourist attraction. The novelty of the Merry Cemetery is the rejection of traditional culture that considers death as a sad event. Speculation on the subject go in ancestral, to Dacian ancestors, who had a joyful attitude towards death. The Merry Cemetery beginning date back to 1935 when the folk artist Stan Ioan Patras (1908-1977) made the first crosses. These have a brightly painted bas-relief, representing a crucial scene from the life of the buried persons. The crosses are made of oak, and background color is named "Blue Săpânţa". Some crosses are painted on both sides, on the one hand have a description of the life of the buried, the other cause of death. No cross was not complete without an epitaph, a short poem between 7 - 17 lyrics with simple rhymes. Most of the lyrics are written with spelling errors and use expressions or variations of old writing. Epitaphs are spontaneous, often satirical and are written in the first person, with messages from the deceased. Each epitaph contains the name of the deceased as well as an essential feature or occurrence in his life. The characters are painted in bright colors, they are moving, assets, often smiling. Frequently, epitaphs have a touch of humor, reinforcing the attribute of "merry" given to this cemetery. The epitaphs message avoids drama, mocks death with lucidity and humor, focusing on the triumph of life. In over 50 years, Stan Ioan Patras, father of "Merry Cemetery" has created hundreds of crosses in this own style. After his death in 1977, the work was continued by his apprentice, Dumitru Pop Tincu. With their drawings and poems, the two folk artists have created an entire village and gave to people a second life after death. Looking through the succession of generations, all the crosses are a vivid chronicle of the village community.

While a unique experience without a doubt, this place would benefit from an investment in a museum to explain the history and process of cross making. A translation app for the text on the crosses would also be of great help to the growing number of foreign visitors. Guides would do, too.

(Translated by Google) Romania Merry Cemetery, is a very special (perhaps unique) cemetery with graves with a beautiful painting on wood that depicts and describes the dead. (Original) Romania cimitero allegro, è un cimitero del tutto particolare (forse unico) con le tombe con un bel dipinto su legno che raffigura e descrive il morto.

One of the most iconic places from this side of the country. If visiting this place, it would be good to also visit Casa Memoriala "Stan Ioan Patras" and you will find out how the particularity of this cemetery started. It is only few hundred meters away and not so busy as the cemetery

(Translated by Google) Interesting, of course, to see. Problems: -the cemetery area has become a huge kitsch shop, and there are places where you can drink a brandy and that's it. -there is no parking, everyone leaves the car on the road one Km -the graves are extremely crowded, in order to see them leisurely you have to balance on other graves (Original) Interesant, desigur, de vazut. Probleme: -zona cimitirului a devenit un urias magazin de kitsch-uri, si au aparut si localuri unde poti sa bei cate o țuică și atât. -nu exista parcare, toti lasa masina pe drum un Km -mormintele sunt extrem de inghesuite, ca sa le vezi pe îndelete trebuie sa faci echilibristică pe alte morminte

It's a nice place to visit, the entrance fee is 10lei for adults, only cash. We went during evening at 8, wasn't crowded at all. I wouldn't call it Merry Cemetery as it's quite of a paradox and it's sad. I kept on reading the lines and the language used it's cheering but it's still sad as there are people who passed away having a sad story. The place is special I would say due to the design of the cross and this keeps the theme of the cemetery alive. Would recommend to visit but after all it's not merry/happy, it's sad.

Unique cementary to visit in Romania! Turning something which is often seen as morbid or macabre into a lighthearted, artistic tribute to deceased individuals. A very nice colorful church there too 🙏

This is quite a unique cemetery. This cemetery is full of colours, stories filled with sadness and sometimes humour. When you visit this place you can read (if you know the Romanian language) the stories about how these people died. Some of the stories are very sad, while others seem to have some sense of humour. When I met local people, they told me that sometimes only they can understand the humour in the stories written. The cemetery also has a really beautiful church inside.

The only 'happy' cemetery in the world. We make innocent fun out of a sad and tragic moment. Actual jokes and puns are written on the crosses. Very beautiful place, way more recommended by the Europeans and others visitors than any other orthodox resting place. it's part of UNESCO world heritage. Google is not posting this as it breaches some of their rules. Or so they say. This review is 100% manually written and after going there in person. It was raining. The place was still beautiful.

This place ia unique in Romania and is famous for its colourful tombstones with naive paintings describing, in an original and poetic manner, the people who are buried there as well as scenes from their lives. The Merry Cemetery became an open-air museum and a national tourist attraction.

There are actually jokes on the graves, I really wish I could have translated them! Beautiful church interior too! We went twice, the atmosphere at sunset was magical.

(Translated by Google) The church is under reconstruction, very beautiful compared to years ago when you thought it was cracking and falling on you ...... and outstanding through the restored old painting but also the novelty of the mosaic painting of the popular port in all seasons! Pleased to be impressed with the restoration work of the cemetery! (Original) Biserica este in reconstructie, foarte frumoasa fata de ani in urma cand te gandeai ca se crapa si cade pe tine......si deosebita prin pictura veche restaurata dar si noutatea picturii in mozaic a portului popular in toate anotimpurile! Placut impresionata pt lucrarile de restaurare a cimitirului !

😮

(Translated by Google) Definitely a place not to be missed when passing through the Maramures area. (Original) Cu siguranta un loc ce nu trebuie ratat in trecerea prin zona Maramuresului.

(Translated by Google) A location not to be missed once you arrive in Maramureș. In addition to the unique funerary monuments in the world, in the courtyard of the cemetery there is a very beautiful church! (Original) O locație care nu trebuie ratată odată ajuns în Maramureș. Pe lângă monumentele funerare unice în lume, in curtea cimitirului se află o biserică foarte frumoasă!

Unic place , it is a cemetery, but not any kind of cemetery. It is full with many funny messages.

Fantastic place! Second cementery on the world after Kings Valley in Egipt.

Merry cemetery - it is really unique and funny place. All the tombstones are colorful, in a uniform style, and describe stories from the livelihood of the buried person. How he lived, how he worked ... You do not have to know the language, there are pictures on most of the tombstones.

(Translated by Google) A place unique in many respects. A truly original and unique experience. (Original) Wyjątkowe pod wieloma względami miejsce. Naprawdę oryginalne i unikalne doświadczenie.

It is a cemetery situated in Sapanta vilage. The headstones are quite unique, each telling the story of how the people died. The stories are all in Romanian so if you are a foreigner bring a translator. Only a copule of stories are funny, most of them are just sad stories of people's deaths. The unique arhitecture of the headstones and the church inside make a visit to the merry cemetery a must see if you are in the area.

It is not so merry. I thought the texts would be funny, merry, but they are said, they describe the reason of death, diseases, accidents in a sad manner. The church is very beautiful, but the cemetery makes you pessimistic, just like any other normal cemetery.

(Translated by Google) The original idea to put together a story about the deceased starting from some information about his life. The vivid colored crosses also attenuate from the classic mortuary aspect of a cemetery. The price of the entrance ticket is 5 lei. (Original) Originala ideea de a inchega o povestioara despre raposatul plecand de la cateva informatii despre viata acestuia. Crucile vii colorate mai atenueaza din aspectul mortuar clasic al unui cimitir. Pretul biletului de intrare este de 5 lei.

(Translated by Google) I would like to get to film, take photos. It's something unique. (Original) As dori sa ajung sa filmez, fotografiez. E ceva unic .

(Translated by Google) Given the uniqueness of the place it is very tempting to appreciate with maximum stars. Many people, who seem greedy for the sensationality of the unusual thing, the multitude of questionable stalls as merchandise, fail to convey something that will make you come back here. Only a different attitude towards death is something that remains to be pondered. For this it is not necessary to go to the so-called merry cemetery. I didn't find anything happy here. (Original) Având în vedere unicitatea locului este foarte tentant să apreciezi cu maxim de stele. Lumea multă, care pare avidă de senzaționalul lucrului neobișnuit, mulțimea de tarabe îndoielnice ca marfă, nu reușește să transmită ceva care să te facă să mai revii aici. Doar atitudinea altfel în fața morții este ceva ce rămâne de meditat. Pentru asta nu este neapărat să mergi pina la așa zisul cimitir vesel. Eu nu am găsit nimic vesel aici.

This is a nice place to visit, colorful and not so serios messages on crosses. That cemetery is rather small, but trust me, you won't mind. The place is colorful, byt keep in mind it is still a cemetery. There is a 5 RON entry fee.

The monastery is beautiful and the poems wrote on the tombstones are intriguing. Overall a very nice place

The ticket costs 5 lei. There may be a parking problem.

Beautiful place to visit with friends or family. The masterpiece are beautiful showing the Romanian culture. It's easy to park and the entrance is only five Romanian Ron. I definitely recommend this place. 😎👍👍👍👍

A unique cemetery! Sent my friends from all over the world some pics and they were all surprised, I mean, so was I ! Definitely worth visiting.

An unique place, but I found it hard to see the "merry" in it. I left sad after visiting the cemetery - unfortunately the poems don't always help - people didn't always died of old age. I don't regret visiting it because it is such a huge symbol and I saw an unique way to cope with the saddened of loosing a loved one.

The church is very nice, and the cemetery is very colorful. The toilets are very Romanian (they only have cold water and little to no lighting), foreigners may find them underequipped. I found that there weren't as many jokes as people said, and only saw about 1 or 2. It was very underwhelming.

Masterful fusion of kitsch and sacred. This place is worth a look ( don’t loose time at the souvenir shops tho ;)

A unique cemetery, colorful and sometimes with funny text regarding the life and death(see the cross of the mother in law of the artist). The way the artist relates to death, being part of life, if you are in the area, you should pay a visit at this one of a kind place.

Must see place. Very colourful and creative way of cemetery organising. Nice to see it.

Unique location in the world which combines history and traditions.

Diesen Friedhof sollte man sich unbedingt anschauen, es ist eine ganz andere Atmosphäre dort, wie auf einem normalen Friedhof. So sollten mehr Friedhöfe gestaltet werden...es ist eine gute Erinnerung, etwas persönliches auf den Holzkreuzen zu sehen.

(Translated by Google) It's a cemetery ... but it's also a tourist place worth visiting because it's unique in the world and if you don't take into account the fact that it's a cemetery and there are people buried in the ground, everything is ok. (Original) E un cimitir ... dar de asemenea e un loc turistic care merita vizitat deoarece e unic in lume si daca nu iei in calcul faptul ca e un cimitir si ca in pamant sunt oameni inmormantati totul e ok.

For a cemetery you will be impressed to find a nice place, with happy and unhappy message about all people who lived and also on every cross it is a short resume about everyone burried.

Interesting place for a quick visit. Grave stones (or, actually, "woods") are all in the same style so essentially if you saw 10 of them you saw them all. Nevertheless it is a weird and sobering experience walking among all these colorful graves. Tends to be crowded though. 5 lei p.p.

A lighter side of the dark.

Interesting and colorful cemetery. Something different.

(Translated by Google) Everything was ok .... a reasonable entrance fee is charged ... it's clean .. the street is a bit too crowded ... without too many parking possibilities. (Original) Totul a fost ok....se percepe taxă de intrare rezonabilă...este curățenie.. strada cam prea aglomerată...fara prea multe posibilitati de parcare.

(Translated by Google) Very nice (Original) Foarte dragut

(Translated by Google) A special place that, although it is a sad place, makes you smile. (Original) Un loc deosebit care desi reprezinta un loc trist te face sa zambesti.

(Translated by Google) A place to match names! (Original) Un loc pe măsura denumiri!

(Translated by Google) Execrable! I hit the road from Constanta to the Merry Cemetery :)) I stayed 2 minutes and left! How to get money at the entrance? I think the relatives of the deceased, do I pay the entrance fee? :))) Not worth it ! (Original) Execrabil ! Am batut drumul din Constanta pentru Cimitirul Vesel :)) Am stat 2 minute si am plecat ! Cum sa iei bani la intrare ? Ma gandesc rudele persoanelor decedate , platesc intrarea ? :))) Nu se merita !

(Translated by Google) Very interesting but it's a shame that the church takes the money at the entrance, to be ashamed (Original) Foarte interesant dar păcat că ia banii pe intrare biserica, să le fie rușine

(Translated by Google) A place with many stories, just have the patience to read as much as possible. The church was on the same podium as the tombs, very ornate. (Original) Un loc cu multe povețe, doar răbdare sa ai sa citesti cât mai multe. Bisericabse afla pe același podium cu mormintele, foarte împodobită.

Must see in Romania! Plus the locals are extremely friendly ;)

(Translated by Google) Gives (Original) Da

(Translated by Google) Something unique, worth seeing (Original) Ceva unic, merită văzut

(Translated by Google) A place worth seeing (Original) Un loc care merita vazut

(Translated by Google) It's interesting to see once, but the church inside the cemetery is beautiful. You have to pay at the entrance what is a little strange considering that it is a cemetery, and the old crosses are not restored. (Original) E interesant de văzut o data, dar Biserica din incinta cimitirului este superba. Trebuie plătit la intrare ceea ce e puțin ciudat ținând cont ca este un cimitir, iar crucile vechi nu sunt restaurate.

(Translated by Google) An absolutely wonderful, unique place, worth visiting! (Original) Un loc absolut minunat, unic, merită vizitat!

(Translated by Google) A unique place .... life comes down to just a few words written on a board .... a piece of dust in an infinite universe ... 😥 (Original) Un loc unic....viata se rezuma doar la cateva cuvinte scrise pe o scandurica....o firmitura de praf intrun univers infinit...😥

(Translated by Google) Interesting (Original) Foarte interesant

A picturesque place which need to be seeing at least once in your life.

(Translated by Google) You have to be here. See and admire the carved, colorful tombstones. It is a surprising form of commemoration of the dead, but also original and ingenious. (Original) Trzeba tu być. Zobaczyć i podziwiać rzeźbione, kolorowe nagrobki. To zaskakująca forma upamiętniania zmarłych, ale jakże zarazem oryginalna i pomysłowa.

(Translated by Google) The Merry Cemetery. Located in Săpînța. (Original) Cimitirul vesel. Situat în Săpînța.

(Translated by Google) You have to see this place with your own eyes, because you really get merry looking at these colorful tombstones. It is difficult to be serious here and this is probably the idea behind the originator of this place. I felt like I was watching the freeze of a cartoon frame, and these were graves of real people. Only the prayers coming from the nearby church reminded me to keep a minimum of seriousness after all. The people of Săpânța are proud of their cemetery, but they can also profit from it. A lot around the stalls, but thanks to this, buying a magnet was not a problem. (Original) To miejsce trzeba zobaczyć na własne oczy, bo rzeczywiście człowiekowi robi się wesoło od oglądania tych kolorowych nagrobków. Trudno zachować tu powagę i chyba oto chodziło pomysłodawcy tego miejsca. Czułem się jakbym oglądał stop klatki z kreskówek, a to przecież były mogiły realnych osób. Tylko modły dochodzące z pobliskiej cerkwi przypominały mi, że trzeba mimo wszystko zachować minimum powagi. Mieszkacy Săpânța są dumni ze swojego cmentarza, ale też potrafią z niego czerpać zysk. Sporo do okoła straganów, ale dzięki temu z zakupem magnesu nie było problemu.

(Translated by Google) Far away from all tourist routes, in deep Romania, in Maramures, right on the Ukrainian border, there is this curiosity: A cemetery with exclusively blue grave crosses, illustrated and labeled with imaginative carvings, each of which tells about the life or status of the deceased. Worth a long detour! (Original) Fernab aller Touristenstrassen, im tiefsten Rumänien, in Maramures, unmittelbar an der ukrainischen Grenze befindet sich dieses Kuriosum: Ein Friedhof mit ausschließlich blauen und mit phantasievollen Schnitzereien bebilderten und beschrifteten Grabkreuzen, von denen jedes einzelne über das Leben oder den Status des Verstorbenen erzählt. Einen weiten Umweg wert!

(Translated by Google) It is all described in a poem the life that man lived during his life! Is very interesting! Then the mountain landscape ... The forest ... fresh air ... Wonderful ... Arts and crafts of Maramures! Wonderful hardworking people !!!! (Original) Este totul descris intr-o poezie viata pe care a trait-o acel om in timpul vietii! Este foarte interesant! Apoi peisajul muntelui... Padurii... aer curat... Mirific... Arte si mestesugurile Maramuresului! Oameni harnici minunati!!!!

(Translated by Google) I was in 2012, I thought it was a place .... happy:] (Original) Am fost prin 2012, mi sa parut un loc ....vesel :]

(Translated by Google) It's not as cheerful a place as many would expect, but it certainly shouldn't be missed. The only problem is the lack of parking spaces (Original) Nu este un loc atat de vesel cum probabil se asteapta multi, dar cu siguranta nu trebuie ratat. Singura problema e lipsa locurilor de parcare

(Translated by Google) Superb if you can say so about a cemetery 😊 history combined with tradition and religion, it resulted in something unique and picturesque that we can show the world 😊 (Original) Superb daca poți spune așa despre un cimitir 😊 istorie îmbinată cu tradiție și religie ,a rezultat ceva unic și pitoresc cu care ne putem arăta lumii 😊

This place is one of a kind! It is a must-visit place in Romania! It is fascinating how this cemetery has a cheerful way of remembering the persons who passed away! It is a different experience and I very very big applause for the person (Mr. Stan Ioan Patras) who made this alive! He is also burried in this cemetery! Also I recommend visiting the house where he lived and made his pieces of work! It is only 300m away from the cemetery.

(Translated by Google) A particular place. (Original) Un loc particular.

(Translated by Google) I visited on an autumn day when it was raining a little, so I caught the cemetery almost empty, without many visitors. A very colorful and quiet place. The church in the cemetery is very beautiful. The experience itself does not last very long (only if you do not want to read everything) but the price is not high. (Original) Am vizitat intr-o zi de toamna in care si ploua putin, asa ca am prins cimitirul aproape gol, fara multi vizitatori. Un loc foarte colorat si linistit. Biserica din cimitir e foarte frumoasa. Experienta in sine nu dureaza foarte mult (doar daca nu vrei sa citesti totul) dar si pretul nu e unul mare.