Seeking out Bones in Evora, Portugal
Verity the Volkswagen has managed to nab a spot in the very popular Motorhome Aire in the UNESCO world heritage site, that is Evora (N 38.5634, W 7.91642)
Evora Portugal is picturesque. With a wealth of classic buildings, old-world charm, Roman ruins and more, Evora has become one of the top destinations in Portugal.
And based on the other Motorhome around us, it seems that just about every nations guide book’s recommended a visit here !
Possibly one of the most timeless cities in Portugal, The UNESCO World Heritage city of Evora is rich with history, culture, architecture, and more.
The city dates back more than 5,000 years. It was originally known as Ebora and was the regional capital.
Once we had made our way past the beautiful medieval walls of Evora, we instantly fell in love!
We spotted the ancient Roman Temple almost immediately.
The towering pillars are also known as the Temple of Diana. Thought to be built in or around the 2nd or 3rd century, the Roman Temple is in remarkably good shape and almost at odds with everything else we have seen in Portugal.
Another item on our massive Evora things-to-do list is the Evora Cathedral.
This relatively plain-looking building sits across from the Roman Temple. The outside features two asymmetrical stone towers (one tower is turreted and the other is topped by a blue cone). The Evora Cathedral, took almost 50 years to complete
The porch bit between the towers. This contains a wonderfully sculpted depiction of the Apostles.
After taking in the Cathedral, stroll along a few backstreets just soaking up the atmosphere, Here you’ll find many stores selling various authentic handicrafts and just about anything you can think of made of cork, for which the Alentejo region is known.
Eventually we found ourselves standing in front of Church of Our Lady of Grace. What amazed us was the four stone statues atop the baroque facade, these figures seem to be supporting massive globes.
And finally the real reason we are here in Evora, the church of St. Francis.
Built between 1475 – 1550, the Gothic-style Church of St. Francis is a must-visit for those looking for things to do.
As you enter, you will immediately notice that the church is immense and has a single vaulted nave. The Church of St. Francis is the largest of its kind in all of Portugal.
However the main draw of this Evora and what captured our interest in the first place is the tiny room behind the altar.
There is a spectacularly decorated altar hidden from the main area of the church.
This is the location of that draws many visitors to the Church of St. Francis, the Chapel of Bones.
Although the idea of using human bones as artwork in what’s known as an Ossuary may sound macabre, the practice was quite common long ago.
The Evora Bone Chapel was decorated using the bones of approximately 5,000 bodies exhumed from the city’s graveyards.
And in a somewhat weird addition to just oddly stunning place is the amazing collection of Naivety scenes from around the world housed upstairs- perfect for this time of year !
Paul.