Igreja da Ordem Terceira de Nossa Senhora do Monte do Carmo — Attraction in Faro

One of the most striking and unique features of this church is its Bone Chapel. Behind the main area of worship lies this separate room, where the walls are adorned with the skulls and bones of long-departed monks. This macabre sight is both haunting and fascinating, as the bones fill every available space, creating ghoulish geometrical patterns that are sure to leave a lasting impression1.

While the presence of the skulls may not be to everyone’s taste, they represent a profound connection to the past and a tangible reminder of the church’s long history. This aspect of the church might be unsettling for some, but it also adds to the overall experience of visiting a place that has served as a spiritual sanctuary for centuries.

The church’s serene atmosphere is slightly contrasted by the Bone Chapel, yet it provides a unique experience that is rare to find elsewhere. It’s a place that offers not just spiritual solace but also a deep reflection on life and history.

♿️ However, the church could improve accessibility for those with mobility issues to ensure that everyone can experience this remarkable place in...

Went for the bone chapel. It was a small room filled with skulls and other type of bones. Wish there is some explanation about why, how whose bones these were used to build the chapel.

This is what could be gathered online:

The inscription over the door reads: “Stop here and think of the fate that will befall you – 1816,” a helpful reminder put in place by the Carmelite monks who built the chapel that year on the grounds of the larger church dating to 1719.

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The practice of moving bones from cemetery plots into ossuaries after a period of time in the ground (usually seven to ten years) was common throughout Catholic Europe until recently. The bones in this ossuary are the remains of 1,245 monks whose bones were displaced when the ossuary was built. There are several other bone chapels in Portugal, the most famous being in Evora.”

Kids liked seeing it - stayed for around 5-10 minutes. It’s a short walk from...

This church is probably best known for its Bone Chapel, a separate room behind the church. There the rather macabre sight meets you of walls partly made up of skulls from long departed monks. Apparently this serves as the resting place for some 1,250 skeletons with bones filling every available space making up ghoulish geometrical patterns. The bodies were exhumed in 1816 from Faro's overcrowded cemeteries. They belonged to Carmelite monks who once served in this church. The long-dead monks stare down on you from every surface of the chapel. This is surly one of the creepiest attractions you can find. But the main church is also worth viewing, with its baroc interior featuring intricately carved altars, mostly...