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Mausoleum of Mărășești: the memorial to the Battle of 1917

The Mausoleum of Mărășești (Mausoleul de la Mărășești) in Vrancea County, Romania, is a memorial to the Battle of Mărășești of 1917 and to the Romanian soldiers killed in the First World War. Unveiled in 1938, it holds the remains of 5,073 soldiers and officers and is a protected historic monument.

“Pe aici nu se trece” (“They shall not pass”) was the Romanian army’s motto in the summer of 1917; the mausoleum raised on the battlefield took about 15 years to build and now shelters 5,073 soldiers and officers.

WhereMărășești, Vrancea County, Romania

TypeFirst World War memorial and ossuary, unveiled in 1938

Best forFirst World War history, interwar monumental architecture and a quiet moment of remembrance

Getting thereIn Mărășești; Borzești Church, the nearest other place on this site, is about 51 km away

The history of the Mausoleum of Mărășești

The mausoleum stands where, in the summer of 1917, one of the great battles of the Romanian front took place. Mărășești lies in the strategically important area of the Focșani Gate, and the Central Powers wanted to break through there. Field Marshal August von Mackensen launched the attack on 6 August 1917, and the fighting spread along the Siret river. Romania was by then largely occupied, but the German attempt to crush the Romanian army, led by General Eremia Grigorescu, failed, and the north of the country stayed free. The army’s motto during the battle was “Pe aici nu se trece”. Romanian losses were heavy, with more than 20,000 soldiers and officers killed. Among the dead was the heroine Ecaterina Teodoroiu.

A national competition chose the design of the architects George Cristinel and Constantin Pomponiu, who received a prize of 40,000 gold lei. The works began on 28 September 1924 and were interrupted; they resumed after 12 years, in 1936. Emil Wilhelm Becker, sculptor of the Royal House, made the sculptures of the chapel and of the crypt interior in 1924. The bas-relief frieze around the base of the dome, which illustrates moments of the battle, is the work of Cornel Medrea and Ion Jalea, and the interior painting was done by Eduard Săulescu. King Carol II unveiled the monument on 18 September 1938. In all, the construction took about 15 years.

Today the mausoleum shelters the remains of 5,073 soldiers and officers, laid in 154 individual crypts and 9 common crypts along 18 corridors. Three people are named as buried here: General Eremia Grigorescu (1863–1919), Grigore Ignat (1889–1917) and Maria Zaharia (1905–1917). A cenotaph recalls Henri Cihoski (1871–1950). For the inauguration in 1938 a jubilee medal 60 mm across was issued in gold, silver and bronze, with King Ferdinand I and King Carol II facing each other on the front and the mausoleum on the back. The monument is protected as a historic monument and appears on a twenty lei banknote of the National Bank of Romania. It remains a place of remembrance, and visitors are expected to treat it with respect.

Curiosities about the Mausoleum of Mărășești

The motto of the Romanian Army in the battle, “Pe aici nu se trece” (“They shall not pass”), became the best-known phrase linked to Mărășești.
The building took about 15 years: work began on 28 September 1924 and resumed after a pause of 12 years, in 1936.
The crypts form a large grid: 154 individual crypts and 9 common crypts along 18 corridors.
The frieze around the dome base, showing moments of the fighting, was sculpted by two artists, Cornel Medrea and Ion Jalea.
A jubilee medal with the portraits of Ferdinand I and Carol II facing each other was struck in gold, silver and bronze for the 1938 inauguration.
The mausoleum is shown on a twenty lei banknote issued by the National Bank of Romania.

Tours near Mausoleum of Mărășești

Experiences in the area that you can book online with Viator:

Bran (Dracula) Castle, Bear Sanctuary, Rasnov Fortress & Palinca Distillery

★ 5 (51 reviews) · 6 h

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Bear Sanctuary, Bran (Dracula) Castle, Peles Castle From Brasov

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Horseback Riding Tour In Brasov - Ride Through Fields, Forests & Hills

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Transfagarasan amazing road trip from Brasov

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Visiting the Mausoleum of Mărășești: what to see

The monument is both a memorial and a burial place, so a quiet, respectful visit is the right approach.
The exterior is dominated by the dome and by the bas-relief frieze at its base that illustrates the battle.
Inside, the crypts and the painted interior recall the soldiers buried here; a commemorative cross is also part of the site.
Opening arrangements are not described in the sources, so check the current opening hours before you go.
Borzești Church, about 51 km away, and the Galați TV Tower, about 81 km away, are the nearest other places on this site.

Opening hours, access and conditions can change. Check before you go.

Map: where Mausoleum of Mărășești is

Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors

Photos of Mausoleum of Mărășești

Questions

What is the Mausoleum of Mărășești?

It is a First World War memorial and ossuary in Mărășești, Vrancea County, dedicated to the Battle of Mărășești and to Romanian soldiers who fell in the war.

How many soldiers are buried in the Mausoleum of Mărășești?

The mausoleum holds the remains of 5,073 soldiers and officers, in 154 individual crypts and 9 common crypts.

When was the Mausoleum of Mărășești built?

Work began on 28 September 1924, resumed in 1936 and ended with the unveiling by King Carol II on 18 September 1938.

Who designed the Mausoleum of Mărășești?

The architects George Cristinel and Constantin Pomponiu, who won the design competition. The dome frieze is by Cornel Medrea and Ion Jalea.

What does “Pe aici nu se trece” mean?

It means “They shall not pass”. It was the motto of the Romanian Army during the Battle of Mărășești in 1917.

What can you see near the Mausoleum of Mărășești?

Borzești Church is about 51 km away and the Galați TV Tower about 81 km, the nearest other places on this site.