The Chappel of Bones is one of the best-known monuments in Évora. It is part of the Church of St. Francis, the chapel became known for the decoration of its walls, which were completely covered with human bones.
The imposing Church of St. Francis was built between the end of the 15th century and the beginning of the following century in the Gothic-Manueline style. For some time it was the Royal Church, where important ceremonies such as royal weddings were held.
Inside there is only a rectangular hall 36 meters long and an incredible 13 meters high, complemented by its twelve (yes, twelve!) side chapels. Visiting the main nave of the church is free, but there is only a charge for those who want to visit the Chapel of Bones and other paid areas.
The Church of San Francisco and the Chapel of Bones is open every day, from 9am to 6:30pm (Summer ttime) and 9am to 5pm (Winter time). The visit costs €6 (2023) and includes a visit to the Chapel of Bones, the Sacred Art Nucleus, the Crib Collection, the Royal Court Room, the Chapter Room, the Évora Crib and the Terrace. If you opt for the full tour, you'll need between 45m and 1h30. We always recommend confirming the time and price before the visit (here.), since there may be changes.
The Chapel of Bones costs 6€
The Chapel of Bones, made up of three halls, was built in the 17th century and its walls and pillars are lined with thousands of human bones taken from cemeteries. At the door you can read the famous phrase “We bones who are here, for yours we wait”.
The building, which had previously been a dormitory, is thought to have been built by three Franciscan friars who wanted to convey the idea of the transience and fragility of life and, at the same time, solve the problem of the forty-two cemeteries in the area taking up too much space. In total, there are thought to be around 5000 bones of various body parts, especially skulls. There are also whole skeletons hanging on the walls and placed inside glass cases, the latter in mummified form.
The vaulted ceiling is decorated with frescoes depicting biblical passages, many related to death, and was painted more than a decade after the church was built.
This chapel is dedicated to the Lord of the Steps (an image representing Jesus Christ with the cross on his back as he walked to Calvary), and is here called the Lord Jesus of the House of Bones.
In addition to the chapel, the ticket also includes the museum center, where you'll find various works, sculptures and jewels belonging to the convent and other Franciscan convents that are now extinct. The crib collection, located in the upper galleries and side chapels, consists of a collection of hundreds of cribs belonging to a private collection.
For those who have difficulty seeing human bones or have problems with dark spaces, we don't recommend a visit to the Chapel of Bones - it's a chilling space.
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