6 ms·

There are plenty of chapels and crypts filled with bone/skull walls throughout catholic Europe, the author makes it look like this is quite unique and limited t

There are plenty of chapels and crypts filled with bone/skull walls throughout catholic Europe, the author makes it look like this is quite unique and limited to three locations which is not entirely true.

jdthedisciple 4y ago
Excuse me sir, but now you're making it look like they are ubiquitous. Pretty sure that's not the case either. So I appreciate this post, first time I hear of this.
- 988747 4y ago
  Found one in Poland as well: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skull_Chapel https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skull_Chapel EDIT: and in Portugal https://www.ancient-origins.net/ancient-places-europe/story-behind-frightening-chapel-bones-portugal-004540 https://www.ancient-origins.net/ancient-places-europe/story-... And in Czech Republic: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sedlec_Ossuary https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sedlec_Ossuary And in Peru: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilica_and_Convent_of_San_Francisco,_Lima https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilica_and_Convent_of_San_Fr... And another list with 40 entries: https://www.atlasobscura.com/lists/definitive-guide-to-ossuaries-crypts-and-catacombs https://www.atlasobscura.com/lists/definitive-guide-to-ossua...
  - hef19898 4y ago
    The crypts under Stefans Dom in Vienna are well worth a visit. To cite a kid during my visit: "Is grand pa looking like thatvas well now?" Also, there are the Parus catacombs.
    - ginko 4y ago
      If you're in Vienna you could also check out the Michaelergruft.
    - tinglymintyfrsh 4y ago
      Paris, I hope. There's a bag at the exit for visitors to return "souvenirs" if they change their mind.
      - hef19898 4y ago
        Of course Paris... my fat fingering seems to get worse with age...
  - LawnGnome 4y ago
    I've been to the Portugese Chapel of Bones in Évora. The two things that really struck me were the sheer size of it — I expected a tiny room, and instead it was a decently sized chapel — and how every skull essentially looked the same. A stark reminder of how similar we all are in the end.
- jansan 4y ago
  If you want to see one of these places, I can recommend Sedlec Ossuary in Kutna Hora / Czech Republic. I contains about 50,000 skeletons, which basically make up all the interior decoration. It is interesting how you get used to being surrounded by skeletons. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sedlec_Ossuary https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sedlec_Ossuary Edit: They also have a very nice gothic cathedral, a modern art museum and a silver mine that was turned into a museum in that city.
  - xorcist 4y ago
    That chandelier is really something extra!
  - wazoox 4y ago
    Kutna Hora is incredible. There are 2 large gothic cathedrals there, 1 km from each other. The first one (next to the ossuary) has many martyrs skeletons clothed in gold and jewels, offered to the church by the Pope back in the 1500s (these are supposedly dead Romans from late Empire; their martyrdom is probably questionable). The other cathedral has the most bizarre roof, one third roof, one third domes, one third bell tower, and a wonderful organ well worth the visit, and many beautiful frescoes depicting the work that made this place so rich : silver mining.
    - owlninja 4y ago
      The first time I ever visited Prague we took an unplanned (no research) day trip to Kutna Hora just to see the bone church. The other cathedral down the street was amazing as well, but then to just be stumbling through the town and coming upon St. Barbara's Church was truly an experience. It got me hooked to continue travelling outside the US.
deleted 4y ago
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jdthedisciple 4y ago

Excuse me sir, but now you're making it look like they are ubiquitous. Pretty sure that's not the case either. So I appreciate this post, first time I hear of this.

988747 4y ago
Found one in Poland as well: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skull_Chapel https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skull_Chapel EDIT: and in Portugal https://www.ancient-origins.net/ancient-places-europe/story-behind-frightening-chapel-bones-portugal-004540 https://www.ancient-origins.net/ancient-places-europe/story-... And in Czech Republic: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sedlec_Ossuary https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sedlec_Ossuary And in Peru: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilica_and_Convent_of_San_Francisco,_Lima https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilica_and_Convent_of_San_Fr... And another list with 40 entries: https://www.atlasobscura.com/lists/definitive-guide-to-ossuaries-crypts-and-catacombs https://www.atlasobscura.com/lists/definitive-guide-to-ossua...
- hef19898 4y ago
  The crypts under Stefans Dom in Vienna are well worth a visit. To cite a kid during my visit: "Is grand pa looking like thatvas well now?" Also, there are the Parus catacombs.
  - ginko 4y ago
    If you're in Vienna you could also check out the Michaelergruft.
  - tinglymintyfrsh 4y ago
    Paris, I hope. There's a bag at the exit for visitors to return "souvenirs" if they change their mind.
    - hef19898 4y ago
      Of course Paris... my fat fingering seems to get worse with age...
- LawnGnome 4y ago
  I've been to the Portugese Chapel of Bones in Évora. The two things that really struck me were the sheer size of it — I expected a tiny room, and instead it was a decently sized chapel — and how every skull essentially looked the same. A stark reminder of how similar we all are in the end.
jansan 4y ago
If you want to see one of these places, I can recommend Sedlec Ossuary in Kutna Hora / Czech Republic. I contains about 50,000 skeletons, which basically make up all the interior decoration. It is interesting how you get used to being surrounded by skeletons. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sedlec_Ossuary https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sedlec_Ossuary Edit: They also have a very nice gothic cathedral, a modern art museum and a silver mine that was turned into a museum in that city.
- xorcist 4y ago
  That chandelier is really something extra!
- wazoox 4y ago
  Kutna Hora is incredible. There are 2 large gothic cathedrals there, 1 km from each other. The first one (next to the ossuary) has many martyrs skeletons clothed in gold and jewels, offered to the church by the Pope back in the 1500s (these are supposedly dead Romans from late Empire; their martyrdom is probably questionable). The other cathedral has the most bizarre roof, one third roof, one third domes, one third bell tower, and a wonderful organ well worth the visit, and many beautiful frescoes depicting the work that made this place so rich : silver mining.
  - owlninja 4y ago
    The first time I ever visited Prague we took an unplanned (no research) day trip to Kutna Hora just to see the bone church. The other cathedral down the street was amazing as well, but then to just be stumbling through the town and coming upon St. Barbara's Church was truly an experience. It got me hooked to continue travelling outside the US.

deleted 4y ago

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