Merry Cemetery of Sapanta, Romania

The village of Săpânţa in Romania has the sacred tradition of colourful tombstones with simple (naïve) paintings describing, in an original and poetic manner, about the lives of the persons buried there as well as scenes from their lives and sometimes the manner of their death. The cemetery is known as "The Merry Cemetery" (Romanian: Cimitirul Vesel).

The written chronicle, sometimes sad, sometimes funny, has transformed this cemetery, which is traditionally a sad place, to become a unique place in the World. Here are few images from the cemetery as well translation of few verses of the tombstones;

"Here I rest. Stan Ion Petrenjel is my name. I lived nice years and I am the father of Ianos. So I worked on wooden churches and now I am resting in this saint wooden placed. I lived 87 years."

Image and Translation from Picassaweb is by Brandon

"Here is rest. My name is Stan Ion of Mihaies where I have been a police man. And after that I went to Brasov where I was a good policeman. And now I solute you because you will never see me again. I left life with 58 years in 1952."

Image and Translation from Picassaweb is by Brandon

"I am Dioca Tahului and I stay now in the shadow of a plum tree. So when you will stay near me you will find out about me that I was the pillar of my house. And I leave it with sorry and tears. From my childhood I liked to work and to take care of the house. I also liked to deal with horses and sheep. Nobody in the village had horses and sheep like I. I loved horses terribly and for them I even died. When sitting on a mound of grass on a wagon pulled by a horse, I fell and was killed."

Image and Translation from Picassaweb is by Brandon

"Here I rest. Manaila Ion Mahumesc is my name and I have been the boy of Nani. There are few people like me. I was a nice guy and handsome. But I have not been lucky because I died as a young guy and my body is now destroyed in the earth. Dear mother and wife, God should take care of you and my children, because I loved all of you very much. And I wait that we will meet again."

Image and Translation from Picassaweb is by Brandon

Here I rest. Pop Ion Osu is my name. And you see how old I am, but I am going to cut the grass and there if I shall arrive, I shall eat the cheese sandwich. And after I shall eat, I shall take my sickle and cut the grass because that is the way a peasant works. I lived 68 years.

Image and Translation from Picassaweb is by Brandon

"The childhood I had was too short. So I was not permitted to live and by my death I created sadness for my parents. I had to leave my sister. Dear sister, as long as you live, take care of my grave. And please don't forget me until your death. Because I had a very good sister, and we could not be together, and I had to go to die."

Image and Translation from Picassaweb is by Brandon

"Here I rest. Pop Grigore is my name. From my childhood I liked very much the violin. So too, I was playing the violin at each wedding as I danced. At each wedding and during each dance, I made there my happiness. And I knew how to make all things. I made everything I could. Because in this the way lives a man who loves life. He is also fighting for his fortune, living with happiness, and not thinking too much about life, because tomorrow life goes and is leaving you."

Image and Translation from Picassaweb is by Brandon

More information: http://www.ici.ro

View location in Google Earth Google Maps

Credits: I am thankful to;

1. Umme-Ayaan for bringing this to my knowledge.
2. Syzygy for placemarking the location and making this post about the Cemetery in the Google Earth Community. He has made many great posts in the Google Earth Community including about Hungarian National Parks.