Inside the eerie 626-year-old chapel decorated with the bones of 40,000 people
At first glance, the Church of All Saints and Ossuary in Sedlec looks like an ordinary medieval chapel. Its understated exterior offers little indication of what lies inside. The Church of All Saints and Ossuary is one of the most visited monuments in the Czech Republic and is located about an hour east of Prague. It remains a functional Roman Catholic church where masses are celebrated.
TL;DR
- Sedlec Ossuary is a highly visited monument in the Czech Republic, located near Prague.
- Its underground chambers are decorated with the remains of 40,000 to 70,000 people.
- Key features include a chandelier and a coat of arms made from human bones.
- The site's history dates back to 1278 when soil from Golgotha was brought to the monastery cemetery.
- A Gothic church with an ossuary was built around 1400 due to overcrowding.
- Woodcarver František Rint arranged the bones into decorative displays in 1870.
- The ossuary serves as a reminder of mortality and incorporates religious symbolism.