Tag: ossuary

A Bethel of Bones

© 2018 Snapping the Globe, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

There is a church in Milan that I’ve been wanting to visit for a very long time.

San Bernardino alle Ossa.

The bones church.

San Bernardino alla Ossa, is a church in Milan, near the Duomo, which dates back to the thirteenth century, when a hospital and a cemetery were built in front of the basilica of Santo Stefano Maggiore, located next door.  In 1210, excess bones from the cemetery needed housing so a chamber was built, next to which a church was built in 1269.

Restored in 1679 by Giovanni Andrea Biffi, the facade was modified and the walls of the ossuary were decorated with human skulls and tibiae.  When the church was destroyed in 1712, a new edifice was designed by Carlo Giuseppe Merlo and expanded to accommodate the growing interest in the ossuary.  The new church was then dedicated to St. Bernardino of Siena and completed in 1776.

Having been to both the Capuchin Crypt in Rome and the Catacombs in Paris, I was anxious to see how this compared, but I always seemed to be in Milan on Sunday when the church was closed to visitors.

Due to an irregularity in my schedule and some good luck, I happened to be in Milan on a Friday and the church was open during the afternoon.  Making my way from the Duomo metro stop, I approached the area but was a bit confused. The first thing you notice upon approach is the basilica of St. Stefano and its bell tower immediately in the forefront.  Seeing others entering the palazzo-like, unadorned building on the left, I realized that this was San Bernardino alla Ossa.

Entering the church’s vestibule, I acknowledged the Blessed Virgin and followed the corridor on the right, leading to the chapel ossuary.

The small square chapel, a breathtaking area, was originally decorated with frescoes by Sebastian Ricci, an Italian artist.  Today, you can still see his work…gaze upward at the incredible ceiling which depicts the Triumph of Souls Among Flying Angels and the glory of the four patron saints, Santa Maria Vergine, Santa Ambrogio, Santa Sebastiano and Santa Bernardino de Siena.  The rest of the chapel is adorned with an altar and a niche with the statue of Madonna Addolorata (Our Lady of Sorrows) kneeling before the body of Jesus.  Skulls and bones, believed to be the deceased from the hospital and corpses from seventeenth century cemeteries, are arranged in niches and on cornices, pillars and doors.  Some are stacked “frame-like” appearing as oversized paintings in simple shapes while others are arranged in ornamental patterns, like skull and crossbones.  The skulls that you observe in cases above the door are those of executed prisoners.

Remains interred near the altar are those of a young girl, who, according to legend, comes back to life on November 2nd, All Souls Day, and lures other skeletons in a morbid dance.

Be sure to take a seat and revel in the unique artistry of the chapel and be prepared for large tour groups entering the chapel now and again.  A sign advising against photographs is present in the hallway, however, I did not see this until I heard the caretaker telling a group of Spanish tourists that photography was not allowed.  Thankfully, I had been able to capture some stunning photos before I understood the restriction.

The church itself is not very remarkable and rather small.  An octagonal plan, it has two side chapels with baroque marble altars, with the one on the right showcasing an altarpiece by Frederico Ferrario representing “Santa Maria Maddalena in casa del fariseo” (St. Mary Magdalene in the house of the Pharisee).

However, be sure not to miss one of the most interesting aspects of this church.  The chapel on the right of the altar also houses a tomb of some descendants of Christopher Columbus’ maternal family.  You can spy the family coat of arms with the motto, “Colon diede il Nuovo Mondo alla Castiglia e al Leon” (Colon gave the New World to Castile and Leon).

The church has grown in popularity over the years and though not very well-known, it often listed in the Top Things To Do lists of Milan.  Maybe not as large as the catacombs of Paris and maybe not as ornate as the Capuchin Crypt in Rome, I do think that San Bernardino alla Ossa is by far the most intimate and most beautiful.

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San Bernardino alla Ossa

Bare Bones

© 2017 Snapping the Globe, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

The Catacombs of Paris…

Often the subject of many a horror movie, the catacombs maintain a place in countless imaginations as one of gruesome terror.  Those who are claustrophobic refuse to enter thinking that as they make their way thru the passageways, the walls will close in around them, the bones coming to life!  And there are many who are convinced that ghost roam these halls (well, actually they might).

Despite these fears, the Catacombs are a popular, yet dark feature in The City of Light with thousands of visitors lining up each day to roam the corridors and gaze upon the millions of bones that line the walls and walkways.

With so many famous cemeteries in Paris (Cimetière du Père Lachaise, Cimetière de Montmartre, Cimetière du Montparnasse), however, how did the catacombs come to be?

Limestone quarries, located on the outskirts of the city, provided construction materials for the city’s building and allowed for growth and expansion before the 18th century.  Around this time, Parisian cemeteries were increasingly becoming overpopulated and many improper burials resulted in open graves and unearthed corpses.  The stench of decomposing flesh and the risk of disease led those who resided close to these cemeteries to complain to the authorities.

In 1763, Louis XV issued an edict which banned all burials within the city, however, the Church fought back, not wishing to disturb the dead.  In 1780, massive rains caused flooding which resulted in a wall around the cemetery of Les Innocents to collapse, spilling rotting corpses onto the neighboring properties.  Finally, French authorities were forced to take action.

The quarries were deemed an appropriate spot to relocate the bones and corpses from the overcrowded cemeteries.  In 1786, the Tombe-Issoire quarries were blessed and consecrated and they became what we now know as the Paris Catacombs.  Moving the bodies from Les Innocents took over two years and was followed by the relocation of bones from cemeteries throughout the city.  By the French Revolution, however, the practice of burying the newly dead directly into the catacombs was instituted.

The process of transferring the bones was finally completed in 1860 and seven years later, the catacombs were opened to the public.

Access to the Catacombs, one of the fourteen City of Paris museums, is located near the Denfert Rochereau metro station in the Square de l’Abbe Migne.  After waiting in the never-ending queue, you will descend via a staircase of 130 steps leading down 20 meters below ground.  The area is dimly lit, and at times, narrow and low.  There are many signs engraved on the walls, however, most will not be of any assistance in navigating the passageways.  Architects and engineers of the Quarry Inspection Department marked their underground construction work during the 18th century.  The number of the work site, initials and the year are engraved in the stone and are interesting to note.  Other signs refer to the Arcueil Aqueduct, built between 1613 and 1623, on order from Marie de Medici, to bring water to the city from springs in Rungis and many of the passageways are identified by the avenues that run above them.

After a lengthy walk and an encounter with a display on the history of the catacombs, we soon came to the entrance to the ossuary, where a sign above the black and white doorways read “Stop, this is death’s empire!”.  Stepping through the entryway,  it is here that you finally encounter the remains of several million Parisians.

The first bones were thrown here randomly and it wasn’t until 1810, when Héricart de Thury, Inspector General of the Quarries, developed the area.  Long bones and skulls were arranged decoratively to form a back wall, or hague, behind which the other bones are piled.   Thury also created signage to indicate which Parisian cemetery the bones originated.  His use of geometric shapes on the masonry pillars and decorative arrangement of the bones is fascinating and reminded me of the Capuchin Crypt in Rome, where bones are used to decorate the walls and used to make various objects within the crypt.

After a lengthy walk, I became separated from my companions and found myself completely alone.  Though I was enthralled by the process of photographically capturing the unique bone formations, it suddenly dawned on me that I might have taken a wrong turn.  Trying to remain calm, I continued on, positive that I was on the correct path toward the exit.

Finding the fountain “de la Samaritaine” (of the Samaritan woman) was a welcome sight.  Knowing that this would be part of the tourist passageways, I realized that I must be on the correct path.  The fountain is a well, around which a small circular area was designed, surrounded by wall of bones from the Les Innocents.  The well was installed so that the quarry workers could make mortar for use in the construction of the hagues.

Finally, encountering other visitors, I found signs referring to the major events of the French Revolution, “Fighting at the Réveillon factory in Faubourg
Saint-Antoine on 28 April 1789” (where a workers’ protest ended in a massacre) and “Fighting at the Château des Tuileries on 10 August 1792” (where Swiss guards fought against Parisian units).  During this time, the ossuary was used as a morgue and those killed in combat were brought to this location.

Nearing the end of the tour, my companions were alerted to my approach by the clicking of my camera.  Here, I found them in the Crypt of the Passion, or the “tibia rotunda”.  A supporting pillar is circled by skulls and tibias and form an impressive barrel shape.  In 1897, a concert was held here between midnight and two in the morning.  Over one hundred thrill-seeking attendees listened to Chopin’s Funeral March and the Danse Macabre as well as other pieces by Camille Saint-Saens.

Those same thrill-seekers are still fascinated by the Paris Catacombs today.  Though open to the general public, access is limited to a small part of the network.  Since, 1955, it has been illegal to enter other parts of the catacombs, however, the Cataphiles, urban explorers, have explored parts of the catacombs deemed off limits.  Some areas have been reported to have been restored and turned into creative spaces by the Cataphiles, one with a secret amphitheater, complete with a giant cinema screen, projection equipment, a couple of films and seats and a neighboring area with a fully stocked bar and a restaurant.  As many as 300 Cataphiles have been reported to enter the catacombs each week via secret entrances.  Non-Cataphiles and tourists are not welcome.

Though this may be appealing to many, I myself, realizing how uneasy I was when I was alone during my visit,  think I would rather remain in the areas that are monitored…and at least lit.

As we exited into the gift shop, we took a moment to look around at the merchandise offered and to utilize their restrooms.  Stepping out onto the streets, near the intersection of Avenue Rene Coty and Rue Dareau, however, it became clear that our ending point was not near the beginning of our journey.  Though we were able to swiftly determine the correct direction to return,  it might be beneficial if signage pointed visitors back to the direction in which they came.

Where else in the world do you get to explore a city from below?  For this reason, the Catacombs are a “must-see” and should not be missed!  And, for those interested in Parisian history, this is for you!

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The Catacombs of Paris

  • http://www.catacombes.paris.fr/en/homepage-catacombs-official-website
  • Address:  1 Avenue du Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy, 75014 Paris, France
  • Hours:  Tuesday-Sunday from 1000-2030, last admission, 1930.  Closed Mondays.
  • Admission:  13€, children under 18, free.  Expect a long line to enter.  Advance tickets may be purchased which offer a Skip the Line option for about 31€ which also includes an audio guide.
  • Getting There: Located across from the Denfert-Rochereau metro stop, in the Square de l’Abbe Migne