Ossuary chapels -- or what are sometimes colloquially referred to as "bone chapels" -- always inspire of great deal of interest. Some see them as "macabre" but, of course, their origins lie in both the practical need of making room for the remains of the newer dead and doing something fitting with the remains of the older, and they are also rooted in the Catholic tradition of memento mori -- reminders of the four last things.
The chapel is said to contain the visible remains of some 40,000 to 70,000 people, arranged by Frantisek Rint, a 19th century woodcarver.
Perhaps the least seen aspect of the chapel is its exterior:
As you can see, the remains have been arranged by Rint in a manner that is both orderly and artistic -- it is no wonder that the chapel is one of the most visited sites in the Czech Republic.
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| The Schwarzenberg family arms. (Source) |
