Buzz
Drawing inspiration from the remarkable book “The Empire of Death” and our profound fascination with the eerie and macabre, we present a collection of 10 striking images captured from ossuaries and charnel houses worldwide. This journey offers a chilling exploration of Europe’s most renowned resting places for the deceased.
10. Massacre
Within the Ossuary Chapel of Otranto Cathedral in Italy, the bones of those slain in the 1480 massacre are displayed near the high altar, adorned with opulent gold candlesticks. Antonio Primaldo, the most notable victim, was the first to be beheaded by the invading Turks. Legend has it that his headless body miraculously stood upright, unmovable even by an ox, and remained so until the final victim perished.
9. San Martino
The Ossuary Chapel of San Martino Della Battaglia in Italy stands out as the most meticulously organized among all bone houses listed here. Rows and columns of human remains are arranged with precision, resembling a haunting library of bones. This site houses 2,619 individuals, including 1,274 skulls.
8. St Hilaire Cemetery
While not the most elaborate bone collection, the St Hilaire cemetery in Marville, France captivates with its understated elegance. Its uniqueness lies in the small cabinets housing skulls, each adorned with poignant funerary inscriptions.
7. Chapel of Bones
Located within the Church of Nossa Senhora do Carmo in Faro, Portugal, the Chapel of Bones features walls and ceilings adorned with the remains of Carmelite monks. Even the floor is a testament to mortality, paved with headstones of deceased priors and notable figures.
6. Painted Skulls
The Chapel of St Michael in Hallstatt, Austria is renowned for its collection of painted skulls. Predominantly male, these skulls were adorned by their surviving wives. Sadly, the wives' remains, left to their children, were not given the same artistic treatment and remain unadorned.
5. Sedlec Ossuary
The Sedlec Ossuary (Ossuary of All Saints) in the Czech Republic stands as one of the world's most iconic bone houses. Beyond merely housing bones, it transforms them into elaborate decorations, most notably a grand chandelier crafted entirely from human remains, partially visible in the top left of this image.
4. Virgin
This bonneted lady resides in the Chapel of Virgins within the Crypt of the Monastery of Santa Maria Della Pace in Palermo, Italy. She is one of four virgins positioned on a ledge, each holding palm fronds symbolizing the victory of faith.
3. St Gratianus
St Gratianus is adorned with luxurious jewels and exquisite fabrics, reflecting his status as a martyr. His bones are displayed above a chalice containing dried blood, a testament to his sacrifice for his faith. His remains are showcased in the Basilica of Waldsassen, Germany.
2. St Pancratius
The remains of St Pancratius are housed at the Church of St Niklaus in Wil, Switzerland. Initially clothed by nuns in the late 1600s, he was later dressed in an impressive suit of armor in 1777 to commemorate the centenary of his bones' arrival in Wil.
1. Vincenzo Piccini
Vincenzo Piccini stands as the sole clothed mummy in the Chiesa Dei Morti of the Confraternity of Buona Morte in Urbania, Italy. Adorned in the attire of his religious order, he also bears the silver insignia symbolizing mortality.
