When we crossed over the border from Spain into the Algarve, Portugal’s sunny and picturesque southern coast, we were excited to explore another new-to-us country. Our first stop was the seaside city of Faro where we had scheduled a three-day stay before heading on to Lisbon. We were looking forward to enjoying fresh seafood and beautiful scenery, but we didn’t expect to encounter one of the strangest sights on our trip.
Our Lady of Carmel was just a few blocks from our apartment, but we might have passed it up as we were on serious church overload after spending three weeks in Spain. It wasn’t until someone mentioned the Capela dos Osso, or Chapel of Bones, that we put it on our “must-see” list.
The church’s whitewashed Baroque façade was lovely, and its richly gilded interior impressive, but the real draw was the small chapel in the interior courtyard behind the church. As we approached the chapel, we saw this inscription over the entrance: “Para aqui a considerar que a este estado has de chegar” (loosely translated as: Stop here and consider that you too will reach this state).
Upon entering the chapel, we found ourselves surrounded by bones and skulls… lots of bones and skulls. In fact, in 1816, the skeletons of over 1,200 Carmelite monks who once served the church had been exhumed from the nearby graveyard. They were used in both the construction of the ossuary and to artfully decorate just about every surface. The effect was both stunning and profound.
I’ve read various descriptions of bone chapels (there are several in Portugal, including a larger one in Evora) where words like “creepy” or “macabre” were used. I don’t agree at all. The original intent was no doubt religious—some say to encourage people to think about the life beyond this one—but my secular self took a couple of other important lessons from the display:
- Despite our different sizes, shapes, and colors on the outside, inside we are pretty much the same. We spend way too much time focused on what in reality is just a small portion of who we are.
- Life is fleeting. We only get one life before we too become a pile of bones. Make the most of it.
As we hoped, the three weeks we spent in Portugal were filled with wonderful food, scenery, and adventures (and I will share a few as my non-existent post schedule goes forward). Looking back, though, we were fortunate that our first stop was Faro, where a small chapel behind a church held a good reminder to enjoy our lives while we can.
Please visit Dan’s blog No Facilities to see other #Thursday Doors.
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That is interesting. I never heard of “decorating” with bones.
Me neither… except at Halloween. 🙂 Not my choice of decor, for sure.
Kinda creepy.
Can’t beat dem bones as decorations. Very unique. Thanks for sharing, Janis! 🙂
Crazy, huh? I found myself trying to picture the builders working with all those little pieces. They obviously put a lot of thought into the design.
Incredible and fascinating. I agree with the two lessons you shared about this display. 🙂
I thought it was so interesting, Liesbet. In all of your travels, have you seen anything like it?
Only in a very different setting and for very different reasons: human bones and skulls of the victims of Pol Pot in the Killing Fields of Cambodia. Not integrated in buildings.
Very interesting place. Very wise lessons.
It was fascinating. If only those bones could talk…
Ha! Your non-existent blogging schedule is totally relatable…and when you do put one out, it’s a doozy (sp?). The bone thing is cool and thought provoking, but I much prefer spending my afternoons practicing The Spanish Art of Relaxing!
🙂
There was plenty of relaxing going on too! The Portuguese have that skill down to a science. Lots to learn from the dead and the living. 🙂
Hey Janis! We never made it to Faro ourselves but you made it sound interesting. And what a cool church. I agree that the bones were so well done and architecturally cool. And although they likely had some religious significance, I like what you came away with. That reminder that on the inside we are all pretty much the same (except the way we think of course!) and that life is fleeting and in the end our bodies will all end up the same. Although I don’t think cremation will allow mine to become a timeless work of art. Meanwhile, let us make the most of it! ~Kathy
Initially, our stop in Faro was just the best way to get from Seville to Lisbon but we ended up really enjoying our stay there. The Bone Chapel was just one of the interesting things we saw there… and the food was wonderful. I also plan to leave no bones behind, but I’ve read about ways to “recycle” ashes so maybe they can be used for something 🙂
I’m impressed by your take. I was definitely thinking creepy, but was shamed by your wise assessment, especially the first one about is all essentially being the same on the inside. What a unique visit, to be sure. Thanks for sharing that.
It’s interesting how our perceptions change over time. I doubt that the Catholic church would endorse that particular use of bones these days.
Yeah, maybe not. There’s a similar church I’ve been to in Rome. But, of course, that’s ancient too.
I like your takeaway from seeing this church. It puts the bones into a different perspective, one that seems timeless and inspiring. You are a wise woman. Your photos are great, I like arches.
I like the arches too… they seem to be everywhere in churches… and, apparently, Bone Chapels.
Janis, I admire your open-mindedness and appreciate the intended lessons, but I’m very happy that it was you, not me, who visited this church. I would have had nightmares for weeks. However, this is the point of travel, is it not? To see new things and learn how others view life (and death) in this world we share? Fascinating post!
I imagine that it says something about me that I love old cemeteries too. I also visited a mummy museum in Guanajuato, Mexico (if the Bone Chapel would give you nightmares, I strongly suggest that you miss that experience 🙂 ). You are so right about the point of travel. There are so many amazing sights to see in this world.
The chapel is not only fascinating, but as you so wisely pointed out, it is a learning experience that is quite relevant to us all even 200 years later. Thank you for sharing this unique stop.
The chapel was a completely unexpected surprise on our journey. Whether or not someone believes there is a life after this one, we all can make the most of what we have now.
Janis, I think my first reaction would be ‘creepy’, but after a minute of reflection, I’d definitely see humanity. In the end, we are all just a heap of bones, or ashes, as in some cases. I appreciate your tiny-pieces approach to sharing your travels. Keeps the appetite whet for more.
I’m so happy you said that, Suzanne. I didn’t want to write a travelogue of our trip. There are plenty of those types of blogs. I had a notebook with me where I jotted down simple observations and impressions along the way and I am sharing a few here and there in these posts.
What an amazing room, Janis. I agree with your interpretation. Those are good things to remember while our bones still carry us through this life.
… and, as we get older, it becomes more and more important to take care of those bones so they will continue to carry us a long time.
Fascinating. And your two observations are the perfect takeaway. I don’t expect my ashes to become part of any future structure, but one never knows …
One never knows… I’m pretty sure those monks had no idea that their skeletons would end up decorating a chapel 🙂
Hi, Janis – That church is spectacular and profound. Your takeaways are very meaningful. I’m glad that you didn’t miss this spot — and that you shared it with us!
Me too, Donna 🙂 I wonder if your upcoming trip to Portugal will take you by any bone chapels?
I will definitely be seeking one out!
I have been to the catacombs in Paris, but haven’t seen anything like this. I totally agree with the thoughts you came away with.
It was a unique experience, that’s for sure.
Hi Janis – I never get tired of being reminded to enjoy life because it sure can be brief!
and I liked your reminder also about how seeng the bones reminded you of the many shared human connections we have – we need to hear that more and more today as so many people seem to be over using race in a way that feels like it is separating us and brining division – ugh
–
and with that said – all those b0nes would feel creepy to me – even if a masterpiece structure
🙂
It did feel a bit creepy at first to be surrounded by all those bones but soon we became fascinated by the artistry and intension.
🙂
It did seem a bit creepy when I first read about it, but by the end of the post, I found myself agreeing with you. There is something touching about it. We are all the same underneath our skin, and yes, death is the natural end to each and every one of us. Sometimes I don’t think we’re very good at facing that reality, so a reminder is actually a good thing. As you say, it invites us to live our lives more fully.
Exactly, Ann. I had a range of feelings from when I first entered to when I left. It quickly lost the “creepy” factor and became fascinating. I think the monks who built it must have understood that the shock of seeing all those bones would invite reflection.
Whoa. I’ve never even heard of a bone chapel before, but I’d totally go. Love your perspective, too! Inside we’re mostly the same. True dat.
I hadn’t either but it was definitely one of the most interesting and unexpected sights on our trip.
Janis, I think we too, visited this bone chapel when we visited Faro. At first it felt rather strange but I like so many things, when the mind adjusts to it, you just take it in. Look forward to hearing about the rest of your adventure!
You are right. At first it is definitely odd, and we felt like maybe we should quickly look and go, but then we became fascinated by the artistry and the intent. I’m happy to know that you visited Faro too… we really enjoyed our time there.
The algarve is a beautiful part of Portugal!
I hadn’t heard of bones being used in this way. We went to see the crypt in a cathedral in Vienna. No photos allowed. Generally just piles of bones, but there are records of who they were. In Luzerne, Switzerland, I recall that a covered bridge had artwork throughout intended to remind people of their mortality. It is good to remember our time is finite and only memories of our deeds, good or bad, will live on.
I’ve seen some crypts that held bones that had been removed from familial graves to make room for more, but they weren’t put on display like this. I think the intended message is a good one to keep in mind.
This is amazing to see Janis … yes a little gory at first blush, not just a pile of bones, but 1,200 set into the surface … that’s quite an architectural feat to be honest.
It was so interesting. No matter what we might think of the concept, it would be hard not to be impressed with the work that went into the chapel.
Yes, just get past it and see it for the aesthetic value.
So interesting Janis! I love your lessons and glad to be reading more about your trip.
Hi Tracey! We saw a lot of interesting sights, but this had to be one of the most impactful.
Good lord (pun intended!), stunning and profound indeed. An amazing place, and the fact that you almost overlooked it. I’m glad you didn’t. – Marty
Me too, Marty. I hadn’t done much preliminary research on Faro since we weren’t going to stay very long so I had no idea the chapel was there.
A fascinating and beautiful church. Your messages were insightful; make the most of life and we are all the same at the core. Lovely!
I almost put a trigger warning at the beginning of my post because I thought some people might get a bit freaked out seeing all those bones. I’m happy to see that others found it as fascinating as I did.
How cool! I like your personal take-aways from the bone chapel. But I also like the fact that beauty and design can be generated from anything! To think that someone(s) had the vision to arrange all these bones into such delightful order is somehow calming and refreshing. It’s as if these long-deceased individuals have had a second chance (and more enduring, at that) at life.
I like what you wrote! Once we are gone, we are gone (at least body-wise for those who believe in an afterlife) so why not do something with what is left? I loved the artistry too… it was very intricate.
Fasinating!!
I’m glad you enjoyed this little oddity from our trip.
The view from the bell tower is rather lovely too. The planes come in quite low overhead sometimes but I like Faro old town.
We loved the old town too and had our first (of many) cataplanas there. Yum!
😁💙
Wow, Janis. What an interesting chapel and history – the exhuming of all those graves. I like your takeaway, though the place is still a little creepy. I’m glad you’re enjoying your trip. Thanks for taking us along to see some of the sights. 😀
It did feel a little uncomfortable at first, but then it was easy to ignore the creep-factor and appreciate the history and artistry. I can’t help but feel that there is a story to be written about the chapel and its residents.
Aaah. You must get writing, Janis. There are a bunch of stories in those walls.
What a fascinating find! We’re headed to Portugal in March for the first time. I’ll have to look and see if there are any bone chapels in either Lisbon or Porto. Looking forward to your future posts!
The closest (and largest in Portugal) bone chapel to where you’ll be is in Evora, which is quite a ways west of Lisbon. We didn’t get to Evora while there, but it’s just another – of many – reasons to return.
Good to know – thank you.
Being geographically challenged (as well as Retirementally Challenged), I meant that Evora is east, not west, of Lisbon.
Hi Janis, I meant to read this post but it got lost. You just reminded me when you visited my blog. Wow, stunning captures of the church and all those bones and skulls! I’ve never seen anything like this either, really cool! You are so right about our fundamental structures being the same. The good thing is we won’t need those old bones in eternity.
The chapel was such an interesting place with such great history. It’s a good thing that I won’t need my old bones because, apparently, they are becoming brittle. 😮