Sedlec Ossuary

The Sedlec Ossuary lies beneath the Cemetery Church of All Saints in Sedlec, a district of Kutna Hora in the Czech Republic. The cemetery gained wide renown after an abbot is said to have scattered soil from Jerusalem here in the 13th century, making it a sought-after burial ground; plague and the Hussite wars filled it further. As graves were cleared, bones were gathered into the chapel. In 1870 the woodcarver Frantisek Rint arranged them into the striking decorative schemes seen today, including a large chandelier said to use many bones of the human body, garlands, and a coat of arms.

The ossuary's frank display of an estimated tens of thousands of human remains makes for a powerful, sometimes sombre experience, and some visitors report a heavy or reflective mood inside. These responses are subjective and rooted in the setting rather than in any demonstrated phenomenon; the ossuary was made as a Christian memento mori, a reminder of mortality and resurrection.

Part of the Kutna Hora UNESCO World Heritage listing, Sedlec is among Europe's most famous ossuaries and a distinctive expression of sepulchral art.

The ossuary is open to the public as a monument, with admission by timed ticket that can be combined with nearby churches such as the Cathedral of the Assumption and St John the Baptist. Opening hours vary by season and advance booking is recommended.

Out of respect for a site containing genuine human remains, visitors are asked to behave quietly and follow current photography rules. The underground chamber is compact and can become crowded, so quieter times of day are more comfortable.