Ossuary of St. James in Brno

This unique Moravian ossuary is located next to the Church of St. James in Brno and is the second largest in Europe, the chilling primacy is held by the Paris ossuary. It was discovered during a land survey in 2001 and the number of people buried there is estimated at more than 50,000. Anthropological analyses showed that it was a place of burial of victims of plague and cholera, the Thirty Years' War and the Swedish siege.

The cemetery at the Church of St. James on St. James Square in Brno already existed at the beginning of the 13^th century. Just like other city cemeteries, it was established inside the city walls, which prevented its expansion. Therefore its capacity was soon insufficient for the growing city and a new system of burials had to be introduced: after 10 to 12 years from the burial, the grave was opened and the remains were taken out and replaced with the body of a recently deceased person. The remains of the original body were stored in special underground cellars called ossuaries.

The ossuary in Brno is unique in terms of its content and size. However, it is not just a tourist attraction; the city endeavours to accentuate the piety of the place. Therefore it can be visited by a maximum of 20 persons at a time. The ossuary, together with the Labyrinth under the Green Market and the Mint Masters’ Cellar, form a complex that gives visitors a glimpse of the Moravian Metropolis’s underground area.