In Évora, there is a small chapel where the walls and pillars are almost completely covered with human bones and skulls.It was built in the 17th century inside the complex of the Church of São Francisco and the bones came from burial spaces connected to the convent.
Its purpose was to make people think about how temporary human life is and about the inevitability of death.
Above the entrance is the famous inscription:“Nós ossos que aqui estamos, pelos vossos esperamos.”Which means:“We bones that are here, await yours.”
Inside, thousands of bones and skulls cover the walls and pillars, arranged almost like decoration.Look up and the atmosphere changes again. The vaulted ceiling is covered with paintings from 1810, with religious symbols and references to the Passion of Christ.
The chapel survived even after much of the old convent disappeared during the 19th century.Today it is part of the Church of São Francisco and you can visit it in the centre of Évora.
It is strange, slightly uncomfortable and completely different from almost any other place you can visit in Portugal.
If you like discovering places in Portugal that go beyond the usual tourist stops, I've created digital travel guides for Lisbon, Porto, the Algarve and soon Madeira.They include places to visit, local food recommendations, practical tips and organised Google Maps lists to make planning your trip much easier.
You can find all my Portugal travel guides here:
www.portugaldigitalguides.com
0 comments