Ghost stories: Sedlec's Church of All Saints

October is here and that means two things to look forward to.

Thanksgiving and Halloween.

To kick off the month, I thought I'd post up some spooky information, and to start, I found something rather interesting.

Europe is filled with legend, lore and myth of ghost stories and hauntings. But this isn't so much a ghost story as it is more macabre in it's description. I speak of Sedlec's Church of All Saint's in Prague. The Ossuary has been around since 1100, so it has seen such disasters as the Black Plague, several wars and much more. But what is interesting is it's history.

I could describe the entire history here, but it's better to take a look at the website dedicated to the ossuary and cathedral. However, take note of the construction. The location became famous in Europe, even in those early days, after one event.

In 1278 King Otakar II of Bohemia sent Henry, the abbot of Sedlec, on a diplomatic mission to the Holy Land. When leaving Jerusalem Henry took with him a handful of earth from Golgotha which he sprinkled over the cemetery of Sedlec monastery, consequently the cemetery became famous, not only in Bohemia but also throughout Central Europe and many wealthy people desired to be buried here.

The main feature that adorns the ossuary; it is the largest place that uses the largest number of human bones in it's construction. Over 40,000 to be exact. And actually, that's the number of people, not just bones, but people that passed on with the wish to be buried at this cemetary. There were so many bones that were still laying around the grounds that a master carver was brought in to do something about it.

The charnel-house was remodelled in Czech Baroque style between 1703 - I710 by the famous Czech architect, of the Italian origin ,Jan Blažej SANTIM-Aichl. The present arrangement of the bones dates from 1870 and is the work of a Czech wood-carver, František RINT (you can see his name, put together from bones, on the right-hand wall over the last bench).

So, not so much a ghost story, but in fact a very macabre lesson in history. I highly recommend viewing the website and taking a look at some of the virtual tours.

Until next time...

Keep 'em flyin'.