Church of St. Francis & Chapel of Bones

The Church of Saint Francis, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was built by King Ferdinand I of Portugal and the Franciscan monks in the late 15th century. Known for its intricate Gothic and Manueline architecture, it's a significant example of medieval religious buildings. The interior is particularly notable for its ornate chapels and elaborate tilework.

The Chapel of Bones was constructed as an extension of the Church of St. Francis in the first half of the 17th century. The unique chapel was overseen by three Franciscan monks from 1460 to 1510. They aimed to prompt their Franciscan brothers to ponder the fleeting and transient aspects of life —” Remember, o man, that you are dust, and to the dust, you will return.”

During the Chapel of Bones' construction, the city's Franciscan cemeteries were full, leading monks to exhume remains for space. Three monks conceived a chapel adorned with bones as decorations—walls, columns, arches, and domes. Bone fragments were even incorporated into the mortar. Roughly 5,000 corpses are believed to have been used.

To access the chapel, one must pass through a doorway with the following message written over the threshold: "Nos ossos que aqui estamos pelos vossos esperamos," a phrase that can be roughly understood as "We the bones that are here for yours we are waiting.”Read more