By Crystal Wong
When traveling in Europe, visiting various churches is usually a must-do on the itinerary. But at one church located in the suburbs of the Czech Republic, travelers don’t come just to admire its architecture — they have an alternative kind of pilgrimage in mind.
The Sedlec Ossuary (Kostnice v Sedlci) is a small Roman Catholic chapel situated in the Cemetery of All Saints on the outskirts of Kutná Hora, Czech Republic. As the name suggests, this chapel is dedicated to the display of human bones, with an estimated 40,000 to 70,000 skeletons housed here. During the 14th and 15th centuries, the area was hit by outbreaks of the Black Death and the Hussite Wars, which led to a significant accumulation of remains in the cemetery. To make room for new burials, the bones were transferred into the chapel after its construction.
Though the chapel is not large, it contains bones in abundance. As soon as you step inside, you’ll be greeted by tens of thousands of human bones presented in various forms. In addition to a bone-made chandelier and an altar constructed from stacked skulls, there are also numerous decorative bone features: doorframes, arches, candlesticks, crosses... But the most eye-catching item is undoubtedly the massive chandelier in the center of the chapel. The chandelier is primarily made of leg bones, with other bones woven in as decoration, and is adorned with eight skulls that serve as candle holders. Looking up, the chandelier hanging from the chapel ceiling appears both sacred and eerie.
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