Home arrow Weird arrow The Sedlec Ossuary - Human Skeletons Chapel
The Sedlec Ossuary - Human Skeletons Chapel E-mail
User Rating: / 7
PoorBest 

The Sedlec Ossuary is a small Roman Catholic chapel, located beneath the Cemetery Church of All Saints in Sedlec, a suburb of Kutna Hora in the Czech Republic. The ossuary contains approximately 40,000-70,000 human skeletons which have been artistically arranged to form decorations and furnishings for the chapel.

Henry, the abbot of the Cistercian monastery in Sedlec, was sent to the Holy Land by King Otakar II of Bohemia in 1278. When he returned, he brought with him a small amount of earth he had removed from Golgotha and sprinkled it over the abbey cemetery. The word of this pious act soon spread and the cemetery in Sedlec became a desirable burial site throughout Central Europe. During the Black Death in the mid 14th century, and after the Hussite Wars in the early 15th century, many thousands of people were buried there and the cemetery had to be greatly enlarged.

Between 1703 and 1710 a new entrance was constructed to support the front wall, which was leaning outward, and the upper chapel was rebuilt. This work, in the Czech Baroque style, was designed by Jan Santini Aichel.

In 1870, František Rint, a woodcarver, was employed by the Schwarzenberg family to put the bone heaps into order. The macabre result of his effort speaks for itself. Four enormous bell-shaped mounds occupy the corners of the chapel. An enormous chandelier of bones, which contains at least one of every bone in the human body, hangs from the center of the nave with garlands of skulls draping the vaults.

Other works include piers and monstrances flanking the altar, a large Schwarzenberg coat-of-arms, and the signature of Master Rint, also executed in bone, on the wall near the entrance. 

 

VIA - KOSTNICE & Wikipedia

More Great Images... Here!  

Comments
Add New Search
ben  - Seriously   |91.110.105.xxx |2008-08-19 13:01:30
Why would you do this!? This is one of the more creepy things I've seen in my
life
Nikkkkki   |70.142.255.xxx |2008-08-20 02:43:50
haha that's freakin great
i wanna go there!!!!!!!!
crille  - shortage?   |213.115.33.xxx |2008-08-20 14:12:01
of grave yard space?
Mike Antone     |64.16.30.xxx |2008-09-02 19:19:51
GODDAMN! that is fuckin cool! esp. while listening to mastodon "blood and
thunder"

another thing is it would've been cool if the chandelier was
built so that each "branch" was a fully complete skeleton, looking down
and curving up, holding a candle or whatever li...
Karell Sorrows Pitt  - BEAUTIFUL!!   |190.39.223.xxx |2008-09-06 04:04:45
I'm dying to go there.... is such a infinate BEAUTY..!!
Person   |86.145.234.xxx |2008-09-07 14:51:52
I've been to a smaller chapel like this in some city in Italy (can't remember..
it was a while ago) and I can say it is more creepy in real life and it SMELLS.
Anonymous   |138.163.0.xxx |2008-11-21 15:50:17
Yeah, I think I've been to that one in Italy too, had the children skeletons on
the ceiling, some prince and princess. Place is fairly macabre but pretty cool
at the same time.
ukj6  - notify   |91.110.114.xxx |2008-09-07 18:00:09
i am doing this so i do not get notified of comments any more.
MacDizzelBamBino  - The only sure thing in life...     |71.116.74.xxx |2008-09-16 06:47:09
This is a good idea actually, we inevitable truths have to shed our fear
based around our own mortality. Why not let children grow up to learn and
understand Death is part of life.
STAMEL 09   |170.185.217.xxx |2008-09-26 18:24:36
What the hell kinda jibberish is that? shut the hell up.... speak where some of
us lower primates can understand
Anon   |75.157.162.xxx |2008-09-26 21:43:26
Beautiful... Absolutely beautiful. The macabre and the sacred coming together
in an awe-inspiring setting.
rich  - tree   |204.218.240.xxx |2008-10-08 11:42:43
wow that was so dam creppy... I WANT TO FUCKING GO THERE SO BAD ASS!!!
leslie   |168.8.108.xxx |2008-10-21 12:57:19
wow i want to see this in person it would be great for a halloween party
zombo  - Cool   |60.242.62.xxx |2008-11-01 02:53:42
online roulette casino
blackjack strategies
play casino blackjack
video poker casinos
poker site
best iphone ringtones
horse racing system
Rik the Prikc  - D@mn you, zombo!!   |70.128.108.xxx |2008-11-27 03:09:21
Darn you, zombo!! How dare you desicrate this awesome article with your lame
advertising!!! I banish thee to depths of the internet, where not even Chuck
Norris can save you!!

Wilrson Ruan   |99.247.48.xxx |2008-11-01 07:01:51
Too me, I don't really think it is creepy, but it might smell, only question i
have is, where did those people get so many skull from? and they sure do have a
lot of spare time to do this
Anonymous   |138.163.0.xxx |2008-11-21 15:51:06
Read the description, says where they got the bones and who did it.
blondie   |68.162.100.xxx |2008-11-09 01:25:13
my ex said he wanted to get married there.
I DONT KNOW SHIT   |67.131.75.xxx |2008-11-14 19:51:25
That is BAD ASS it looks so cool
Anonymous   |75.7.218.xxx |2008-11-25 15:13:35
WOW these people are SICK...why would you want to go there...why
would you do that its dumb...and stupid and mean!!!
Rik the Prikc   |70.128.108.xxx |2008-11-27 03:13:10
You see... some people consider this a form of art work, which it really is.
Morbid, yes, but artwork. Kinda like how people can call nude women artwork and
not pornography. Its only dumb and stupid in the eye of the beholder.

Plus,
you know how many graves you would have to dig...
Write comment
Name:
Email:
 
Website:
Title:
UBBCode:
[b] [i] [u] [url] [quote] [code] [img] 
 
 
:angry::0:confused::cheer:B):evil::silly::dry::lol::kiss::D:pinch:
:(:shock::X:side::):P:unsure::woohoo::huh::whistle:;):s
:!::?::idea::arrow:
 
Please input the anti-spam code that you can read in the image.

3.20 Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved."

 
< Prev   Next >