Evora and the Chapel of Bones
Evora and the Chapel of Bones
Evora and the Chapel of Bones
Evora and the Chapel of Bones
Evora and the Chapel of Bones
Evora and the Chapel of Bones
Evora and the Chapel of Bones
Evora and the Chapel of Bones
Evora and the Chapel of Bones
Region: Alentejo
We are on driving holiday from France to Portugal and one of the must see places is Evora, we are only spending one night here but we arrive early in the day so have plenty of time for sightseeing.
Top on our list is the Chapel of Bones, we had been told of this curiosity from a travel site and felt we had to see it with out own eyes,, we could not believe an entire chapel could be made from human bones and be open as a tourist attraction which we expect to be really eerie and creepy.
The story is from the 16th century when Evora was a wealthy area and the grave yards were taking up too much space. The monks at the time exhumed the bodies and rather than hiding the bones displayed them on the walls and ceiling, the monks intention was to provide Evora with a place to meditate and reconsider the importance of material wealth.
You can Google the chapel of bones and most articles talk about the macabre and the eeriness, but we have to say (and this is from a person afraid of the dark amongst many other things) that it isn’t, it is so peaceful, it really is a strange experience though, as every wall is covered in bones and skulls.
But maybe we live by the motto over the door
“Nós ossos que aqui estamos, pelos vossos esperamos,” translated “We bones, are here, waiting for yours.”
And really do believe material positions are secondary to the ability and opportunity to travel and experience all of life's great experiences.
We spend some time wandering around and reading the poems around the room, there is a magnificent altar and the whole experience leaves you feeling calm, it is the total opposite of what you would expect.
Author Bio
Jenny and John currently live in Portugal and wanted to share their love of Portugal, in their spare time are busy renovating a derelict Old Manor House, but still spend every opportunity exploring.
