St. James' Church and Brno Ossuary, Brno (must see)

The Brno Ossuary is an underground vault under the Church of St. James. It is the second-largest ossuary in Europe. The number of people buried here is estimated to exceed 50,000.

The ossuary was founded in the 17th century. The purpose of the space was to find a final resting place for bones while freeing up space in the overly crowded cemetery at the Church of St. James. It became customary to re-open graves about ten years after burial and have the remains moved into the ossuary.

The reforms introduced by Roman Emperor Joseph II in 1784 resulted in churchyards being closed down for hygienic reasons. The remains from the graves were placed in crypts instead. The headstones at the St. James Cemetery were removed and used to pave the ground. The ossuary was gradually forgotten.

It was rediscovered in 2001. Brno Ossuary opened to the public in 2012. It is open from Tuesday through Sunday from 9:30 AM to 6 PM. Tours last approximately 30 minutes.