If you’re looking for something a bit eerie, but fascinating, there’s nothing quite checking out the Bone Church, which is located in the Portuguese town of Evora.
Far from being a place where dogs like to drool, the Bone Church – otherwise known as Capela dos Ossos (The Chapel of Bones in English) is one of the more bizarre religious monuments as the inside is completely covered in human bones.
The chapel is part of the San Francisco church complex.
Anyway, this bizarre construction was created in the 16th century by a Franciscan monk who really wanted to demonstrate that ‘life is transitory’.
Well, he may have been right, however it’s somewhat ironic that his chapel creation has become somewhat of a permanent fixture!
And now, it’s a major tour attraction in Portugal that’s worth a day trip out to Evora from the capital of Lisbon.
Let’s check it out!
The Bone Church – Capela dos Ossos, Portugal
If you’re wondering where all the bones and skeletons came from – they’re actually from the monks who passed away – all of five thousand of them!
This small chapel holds more people than many small towns, stadiums, and even a small collection of Jumbo Jets!
These bones were ‘collected’ from the nearby cemeteries and assembled here, lining the walls and ceiling of the chapel. An anatomists wet dream!
Actually, there had been an ‘oversupply’ of bodies as the cemeteries were close to overflowing, so there’s no better place to store these large collections of hard calcium than in a religious monument!
All of these bones are held together with cement, including a pile of skulls arranged in an eerie order.
Yes, I found this all a bit creepy, but it’s also fascinating at the same time! It’s just as bizarre as the mummies I spotted in Venzone, Italy which kind of freaked me out as well!
There’s even a couple of whole skeletons hanging amongst the bone walls which are a bit eerie.
I’m sure these people didn’t quite expect to have their remains interned as part of some chapel construction materials!
Anyway, this place was meant to provide us mere mortals with many reminders of just how fickle our existence in the world is!
And there are reminders everywhere about mine, yours, and everyone’s mortality – such as the phrase phrase “Melior est die mortis die nativitatis (Better is the day of death than the day of birth).
There’s even a poem written in Portuguese which reminds of you this – here it is in English:
Where are you going in such a hurry traveler?
Stop … do not proceed;
You have no greater concern,
Than this one: that on which you focus your sight.
Recall how many have passed from this world,
Reflect on your similar end,
There is good reason to reflect
If only all did the same.
Ponder, you so influenced by fate,
Among the many concerns of the world,
So little do you reflect on death;
If by chance you glance at this place,
Stop … for the sake of your journey,
The more you pause, the further on your journey you will be.
by Fr. António da Ascenção
I’m guessing you’re not going to see a creation like this based on the leftover chicken bones at KFC!
For more morbid stuff, check out the Day of the Dead in Bolivia which is surprisingly a happy time!
That’s freaky! Can’t imagine walking amongst the dead in that chapel!
Yes, it was a bit weird – but definitely worth seeing!
That is fascinating! Creepy, but definitely something we would like to see. We did the Catacombs in Paris and that was really interesting too.
OMG this is Morbid art!
Makes me thinking to visit it soon