Hallstatt Charnel House

The St. Michael’s Chapel charnel house, popularly known as the ‘Bone House,’ is a fascinating tourist attraction in Hallstatt, located between the world’s oldest salt mine and the world-famous postcard vista. The chapel dates back to the 12th century and is located next to the Catholic parish church. Every year, visitors from all over the world come to admire the unique collection of over 600 elaborately adorned skulls. Several of the skulls were ornamented near the end of the 18th century, while others date from the 20th century.

Skull painting was mostly practiced in the nineteenth century and was connected with a cultural zone comprising the eastern Alpine region, including the Austrian Innviertel, Upper Austria, Salzburg, Tyrol, and Bavaria. Even in modern times, this tradition is still practiced in Hallstatt. Hallstatt has the most comprehensive collection of skulls in the world, with just a few other collections left. When a pre-existing grave was repurposed for a future burial, the skull or bones were customarily transported from the grave to a specified charnel house or ossuary as part of a secondary funeral ceremony. The elaborate paints and inscriptions were used to keep the departed family member’s identify safe. Depending on the familial ties or the artist’s inclination, the skulls were labeled with names or initials. In certain cases, no identifying markers were used to identify the dead individual.

It is obvious that many painting techniques were used; yet, there are hints that the painting style evolved. The manner names and initials were engraved also changed throughout time. Prior to a research undertaken between 1974 and 1993, there were preconceived beliefs about painting that were at odds with its genuine creative progress. It was admitted that the skulls were put in the charnel house due to a lack of space in the graveyard. Previous examinations documented a total of 2104 skulls, including both painted and unpainted specimens, between 1948 and 1950. Given that there were an estimated 30,000 entries in the church death registration prior to 1900, it is clear that the bones placed in the charnel house represent just a small percentage of the overall number of died people.

St. Michael’s Chapel is next to the picturesque cemetery and adjacent to the Catholic parish church. It is commonly acknowledged as the site of the charnel house. The salt trader Eysl contributed the baroque Michael Altar, which is placed in the chapel’s eastern part, in 1612. In 1905, the parish church’s Baroque pulpit was shifted to the northern wall. The back altar was inspired by the historic hospital chapel in Lahn’s Hallstatt village section. The pair of stone lamps on the village side were once used at funeral masses. The stained-glass windows at the top level gothic section of the chapel are of extraordinary quality and represent St. Michael holding the Balance of Life.