“Merry” would not be the first word which comes to mind when you think about a graveyard. Death is to be taken seriously and respectfully, not something cheerful. But here we are – Merry Cemetery in Maramures, Romania. While in most of the societies death is all about grief, in the local Dacian culture there is a belief that death is a moment filled with joy and anticipation for a better life.
Merry Cemetery started with local wood sculptor Stan Ioan Pătraş who made oak crosses. In 1935, Pătraș carved the first epitaph. These short ironic poems were usually written in the first person telling about the life (or death) of the deceased.
Thanks to all these works of tombstone art the cemetery became a museum. There is an entry fee of 5 Lei (about 1€). The ticket features the tombstone of the creator of the cemetery.
Maramures is known for its well preserved wooden churches and the church hosting the Merry Cemetery is a great example. Although the base level is built of stone, the upper levels are wooden. This place is unique and definitely worth visiting when travelling in Romania.
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