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- Dragomirna Monastery – Fortified SpiritualityThe Wooden Churches from Maramures – Orthodox GothicThe Trovants – Living StonesMarasesti Mausoleum – Honoring The SacrificeAgapia Monastery – Nature, Spirituality, ArtMysteries And Symbols In Romanian SculpturesSarmizegetusa Regia – The Heart of the Dacian KingdomTwo Sisters from Cluj-NapocaCraiova’s Art Museum – a Jewel Containing Other JewelsDecebalus Head at Mraconia – The Romanian Mount RushmoreCartisoara – The Memorial House of Badea CartanStavropoleos Monastery – Treasure Trove of Byzantine CultureBucharest Aviation Museum – Wings of HistoryRomanian Pyramids of Sona: Decebalus’ Tomb?Polovragi Cave Takes You Back in TimeThe Clock Museum from Ploiesti, RomaniaThe Cave From Romanesti – The Cave That RocksSighisoara Medieval FestivalCetatea Neamt – The Strongest Moldavian FortressThe Carpathians – A Cathartic ExperienceBanffy Bontida Medieval Castle – the Versailles of TransylvaniaUnseen Monasteries from Oltenia“George Enescu” Memorial HouseSapanta – The Merry CemeteryAdamclisi – Talking HistoryThe “B.P.Hasdeu“ Memorial MuseumThe Momarlani – A Special PeopleThe Berca Mud VolcanoesRasnov FortressLake Sfanta AnaFagaras FortressThe Palace of the Parliament in BucharestRomanian MotorcyclingTaking the Tour of BucharestThe Danube Delta – a wild land
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Sapanta – The Merry Cemetery
Someone
asked Stan Ioan Patras what inspired him in creating this special
color and he replied “The sky.” Until the year of his death,
1977, he created almost 700 tombstones in the Merry Cemetery. One of
his apprentices, Dumitru Pop, continued the tradition and lived in
the same house where Patras created the crosses that made him
popular. The Swiss Honore Bayard
wrote the following words and thanked Patras for his work: “Life
is beautiful, very beautiful! But in this place, even death after
life does greatly please, thanks to you, craftsman! Thank you for
this moment of truth!”
The stories
on the crosses transmit a comforting feeling, rather than a happy
one. A visitor can see images from the daily lives of the deceased or
even from the moment they died; for example, one can see shepherds,
teachers, woodcutters or soldiers that had normal or tragic deaths.
Even an alcoholic that didn't have the ideal life is displayed on his
tombstone drinking from a bottle. The epitaphs engraved on the
crosses were made with the consent of the mourning family, so Patras
made sure he was paying due respect. In case he didn't know too well
the deceased one, he asked for some anecdotes about his or her life.
The texts could be seen as some afterlife CVs, including the name,
occupation and place in the community and the circumstances of death.
The wood is
abundant in Maramures, and in case you visit Sapanta, you will also
notice some beautifully carved gates, well shadoofs and wood tiles.
The peasants in this area prefer wood as they consider it to be the
first and most important natural element that man has used.
The idea
behind the cemetery is to make us accept death as a natural
phenomenon, just like the Dacians did and even most of the Romanian
villagers do. There are 5000 souls
living in Sapanta, the village that seems to be isolated from the
rest of the country. It's very close to Sighetu Marmatiei and located
on Tisa's riverbank, overseen by the Carpathians.
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No Comments to “Sapanta – The Merry Cemetery”
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Anonymous says:
I visited Sapanta and it’s totally worth it! The people are very nice and the food is devine!
As about the cemetery, it’s not that merry, so don’t expect to see people laugh among the crosses, but the thing is you feel you’ve known for all your life the people burried there. It only takes a few well written words and a very inspired carving to make you feel that, as opposed to modern crosses or tomb stones.
And if I may add, I recommend you to visit the Village Museum from Sighetu Marmatiei…it’s wonderful! It’s like a real medieval village and you feel lost in time…
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