Our last stop in the Maramureș region was Săpânţa located about 20 km west of Sighetu Marmaţiei. The village’s graveyard, known as the Merry Cemetery, became famous for its colorful tombstones decorated with witty epitaphs and naive paintings representing scenes from the lives of the people buried there. The tradition began in 1935 at the initiative of local artist Stan Ioan Pătraș, who carved and painted the first crosses. From 1960 onwards, the entire cemetery was gradually filled with hundreds of such crosses, carved in oak, making it the unique site it is today. The cemetery is not quiet and solemn, but a place that celebrates life, putting smiles on the visitors’ faces.
Parking location – Săpânța: 47.972568N 23.696768E