The Merry Cemetery of Sapanta in the province of Maramure is one of the most picturesque places in Romania. It is notable for its colorful tombstones with naïve paintings describing, in an original and poetic manner, the persons that are buried there as well as portrait scenes from their lives or with a drawing depicting a scene from the life of the deceased. Thus we find farmers, carpenters, shepherds, artisans, among many scenes depicting symbolic or beautiful life of the deceased. The Merry Cemetery became an open-air museum and a national tourist attraction. The Merry Cemetery owes its name to the vivid colors of headers that are naively painted scenes narrating the biography of the deceased. The sentences are sometimes lyrical, sometimes ironic, but always sincere. The Merry Cemetery of Sapanta, called "Popular Art Museum" is a pride, unique community in the world.
Image credit Vivek Pundir
This curious initiative started in 1935 and has continued til today, The cemetery's origins are linked with the name of Stan Ioan Patras, a local artist who sculpted the first tombstone crosses. In 1960, 800 sculpted crosses and headstones were counted and after the death of Stan Patras Ionas in 1977, other local artists have continued their work. The Patras himself is buried in the Merry Cemetery gravestone that reflects you as it was with the following epitaph —
Since I was a little boy
I was known as Stan Ion Patras
Listen to me, fellows
There are no lies in what I am going to say
All along my life
I meant no harm to anyone
But did good as much as I could
To anyone who asked
Oh, my poor World
Because It was hard living in it
Image credit Vivek Pundir
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