Spooky attractions or reminders of mortality?
Although ossuaries, catacombs and crypts — spaces where human bones are displayed in piles or patterns — seem strange and spooky by today’s societal norms, they were not always viewed that way. In the past, both Catholic and Orthodox Christian traditions displayed and cared for the bones of the dead as a way to honor and remember them. To this day, you can visit such religious sites in Europe.
Other "bone houses" and crypts exist because of large-scale tragedies. These places contain the remains of war casualties, plague victims or people who couldn't afford burial plots. Some visitors come to these bone houses out of curiosity. Others might be drawn by their macabre nature, while the sites may still hold religious significance for a few.
Regardless of the reason that inspires you, here's a collection of bone houses you can see for yourself.
Flipboard