a visit to the capuchin crypt can only be described as extraordinary...there is a wealth of writings and literature available on this space so i'm just giving a quick summise...
friars that were part of the community of the church were buried here in earth that was brought from the holy land...when the space was filled, bodies that were a long time dead were dug up and space was then made free for new occupants...the bones of some 4000 exhumed bodies were then used to create designs that cover the walls and vaults of 5 chapels...
the pics sourced from eternallycool.net do this place no justice...
located close to the piazza barberini, on the via veneto - the baroque exterior of the church of santa maria della concezione gives no clues as to what lies in the vaulted crpyts underneath...
as i said a visit can only be described as extraordinary...i was overwhelmed and fascinated...my girlfriend was horrified yet fascinated...
macabre and unique, the purpose of this display is to remind us of the delicacy and tenuos nature of life...summed up by an inscription in the vaults which reads “Quello che voi siete noi eravamo, Quello che noi siamo voi sarete.”...[What you are now we were, What we are you will be]
2 comments:
nothing worse than a light hanging over your head made out of femurs and hip bones....ick!
Definitely a lot more decorative than the Catacombs in Paris. Now on my list of places to visit in September!
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