Sedlec Ossuary's History -- Stuff of Darkest Nightmares?

 

Sedlec Ossuary

The Sedlec Ossuary

The Sedlec Ossuary

Sedlec Ossuary, or referred alternately as the Bone Cathedral Sedlec Ossuary, happens to be an extremely unique chapel, the type where you might expect an infamous character like Freddy Krueger to live in!

If you suppose that you've seen everything already that's strange and bizarre, you are dead wrong!

Sedlec Ossuary though is ordinary-looking outside, it's the interior that will surprise you. Sedlec Ossuary is a rather little chapel situated in Sedlec, in Kutna Hora's suburbs, in the country of Czech Republic. From all physical appearances you would assume that the structure is only another run-of-the-mill ancient medieval Gothic church.

However, as you walk into the Sedlec Ossuary, you will immediately realize exactly why it is being regarded as the most astonishing church existing today in the world. Moreover, Sedlec Ossuary is adorned artistically with over forty thousand human remains (skeletons).

But perhaps the most intriguing artistic piece found inside Sedlec Ossuary chapel is the large chandelier of bones which hangs in the heart of this building. The massive chandelier holds no less than one of each human bone.

Yet another equally stunning work of art is the Schwarzenberg family's coat of arms which consists of human bones. Though there exist other worthy macabre sites to tour in Europe such as Paris Catacombs, nonetheless, Sedlec Ossuary stands out as truly distinct in its own right.

You might be wondering to yourself how on earth did all these bones get stuck in a little church. Well, it all goes way, way back to the year 1278 when a Bohemia's king ordered the abbot, residing in Sedlec Cistercian Monastery, to travel to Jerusalem.

After the abbot returned, he carried on him a container of soil that originated from the Golgotha, which was called the “Holy Soil.” Quite fast, and because people from everywhere wanted to be buried predictably in Sedlec, the cemetery nearby had to be elongated to meet the demand.

During the 15th century a new structure rose: a Gothic church which was built close to the cemetery, plus its basement getting used as a sort of crypt. These bones remained there for century after century until 1870; a woodcarver, Frantisek Rint, came around, got appointed to put these bones in some kind of order. Thus, the result was spectacularly astounding.

If you wish to see this unusual marvel, you could visit Prague, the Czech Republic's capital, and then there you'll take any transport, car or bus, equaling about 1 hour drive to Kutna Hora.

Although Sedlec Ossuary might appear a rather macabre place, you'll discover that it's not frightening at all but surprisingly tranquil instead.

All those forty-thousand corpses desired once to have their remains resting in a sacred site, that is precisely why they came to Sedlec, and today their bones lay smack in the heart of the chapel.

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Stourhead's Fascinating History, Facts, Gems, & Tourist Information

Stourhead 

 

What is Stourhead?

Stourhead is an eminent British stately house that, though lies presently in the Wiltshire countryside, the National Trust now manages it. Stourhead is renowned for its incredible 2,650-acre park and gardens that draw tens of thousands of tourists annually.

History of Stourhead

Although a lot of the home goes back to the early eighteen-century, an unforeseen destructive fire caused great damage in 1902 to the house's main block, so what you see now is a combination comprising both restored and original construction, though designed to completely mirror the original design.

The Stourhead property initially belonged to the Stourton family, but in 1714, they sold Stourhead estate to Sir Thomas Meres, who then sold it to Henry Hoare, sometime later.

Henry Hoare dismantled the original manor home and had an entirely new one built, but designed in a different manner, the Palladian style through the architect Colen Campbell, and then constructed by Nathaniel Ireson, who finished building it in 1725. However, Henry died prior to its completion, but his surviving son, Henry II Hoare ordered additional modifications.

A lot of the layout and adornment still reflects the actual life of Mr. Richard Colt Hoare, who was the grandson of the property’s original owner, or Henry Hoare II. Tourists can peek into the former life of a person stricken by sadness after losing both his wife and child. As a scholar and worldly man, he invested much of his life and spirit in his Wiltshire house, enhancing its stature stunningly. Highlights of the estate include an impressive picture gallery and library, all arranged overlooking a fine artificial lake.

But after an agricultural depression that took place in the 19th century, this forced the family to organize a notable property sale in order to raise much needed funds in the year 1883, plus a lot of the collection of paintings and other related items had to be sold off. Then a fire occurring in 1902 devastated a great deal of the home, destroying the collections stored on the higher floors.

The Stourhead house finally received the National Trust badge in 1946, and since then have been operated by it.

But the real beauty of Stourhead is not concealed in its luxurious interior but instead lies in the least expected place: the garden, and here the site fully takes up its own "character." The gardens, being a work-of-progress lasting decades, reveal the evolving artistic attitudes which bore numerous prominent British gardens during the later 18th and earlier 19th centuries, luring visitors not only to see but also to come and experience first-hand.

The gardens which, classified as classical, and coming into existence from inspired enlightenment, remind one of ancient Rome's perceived dignity, at each turn calling forth visuals of Vergil’s Aneid, Apollo and Flora, many grottos, boasting temples to a Romanesque Pantheon. In addition, historians have frequently remarked on the gardens’ religious implications, implying that those pilgrims taking this walkway view it like a modern type of Eden: A heaven bestowed, lost and restored.

Stourhead Now

Though Stourhead’s gardens are wildly popular the whole year, autumn is especially lovely as the leaves take on a rather rich golden-brown color. A loop that goes around the lake usually takes one hour to finish and is quite even underfoot, meaning you could sight many temples, one grotto, and of course, the Gothic Cottage spread around the lake, and accessible generally all the time. In fact, the Temple of Apollo site was used for a filming place for the 2005 classical movie Pride and Prejudice. 

The home makes for a nice tour, and though the structure is beautiful a good deal of the current collections came imported from elsewhere. Do not miss a visit to the kitchen garden, loaded with familiar vegetables, fruits, and herbs.

The Stourhead village lies at the base of the hill, where you'll find a cafe, plant shop, pub, and little art gallery, all on site. King Alfred’s Tower, which was constructed to honor George lll's accession to the throne following the termination of the Seven Years’ War, actually is a three-mile walk via forest, plus a fine place for exploring, particularly if you want to spend the day.

Visiting Stourhead

Stourhead is truly accessible by car only. Though automobile parking is now available on the site, it's rather limited. It is probably best visited early in autumn or the summer to avoid the crowds.

You'll find the closest bus stop at Zeals, only a bit more than a mile away, and on a route that continues between Mere and Salisbury. The closest train stations include Bruton and Gillingham, each being about seven miles away.

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Voortrekker Monument -- Its Towering Significance to South Africa

Voortrekker Monument

Voortrekker Monument stands South of Pretoria, South Africa. More specifically, the huge granite building eminently situated on a hilltop, was constructed to honor the Voortrekkers, leaving the Cape Colony during the years 1835 and 1854.

The whole concept to erect Voortrekker Monument to demonstrate respect to God, was initially communicated on December 16, 1888, when the then South African President Paul Kruger was present on the Day of the Covenant Celebrations at Blood River in Natal. But the genuine movement to construct Voortrekker Monument just began in 1931 at the time the Sentrale Volks Monument Komitee (SVK) was created to cause this idea to materialize.

Construction commenced on July 13, 1937, with SVK chairman Ernest George Jansen performing a sod turning ceremony, which later was regarded as Monument Hill. On December 16, 1938, three of the Voortrekker leaders' descendants laid the cornerstone; they included Mrs. J.C. Preller, Mrs. K.F. Ackerman, and Mrs. J.C. Muller. 

Voortrekker Monument was inaugurated by the then prime minister Malan on December 16, 1949. The whopping construction expense of the Monument was approximately £ 360,000, of which the majority was provided by the government of South Africa.

A big Amphitheater, seating about 20,000 people, was built and completed by 1949, standing to the North-East of Voortrekker Monument.

The Cenotaph, located in the heart of the Cenotaph Hall, happens to be the monument's main focus. Besides being observable from the Hall of Heroes, it could also be viewed from the Dome as if standing on the structure's "roof," and from where a lot of Voortrekker Monument's Interior could be seen. Via an opening in the Dome, a streak of sunlight flows, at 12:00 on December 16 yearly, landing onto the midpoint of the Cenotaph. Calling out 'Ons vir Jou, Suid-Afrika' (Afrikaans for 'Us for you, South Africa'). In fact, the streak of sunlight is believed to symbolize God's grace on the lives as well as the efforts of the Voortrekkers. December 16, 1838, was the actual date of the Battle of Blood River, honored in South Africa prior to 1994 as the Day of the Vow.

The Cenotaph Hall which is adorned with the flags representing various Voortrekker Republics, contains many showcases with Great Trek artifacts and wall tapestries that depict the Voortrekkers. Against the Hall's northern wall is a niche where lies a lantern and in which a flame has continuously been burning since 1938. It was precisely in this year which the symbolic Ox Wagon Trek began in Cape Town, ending at Monument Hill, where the laying of the monument's foundation stone occurred.

At the base of the Voortrekker Monument, you'll see standing Anton van Wouw's, a bronze-molded sculpture of a Voortrekker woman with her two children, offering tribute to the bravery and fortitude of the Voortrekker women. On the two sides of the sculpture black-colored Wildebeest are engraved into the monument's walls. Symbolically, the Wildebeest narrates Africa's perils as well as their symbolic flight means that the woman, bearer of Western Civilization, is victorious.

On every outer corner found on the Voortrekker Monument you'll see a statue, appropriately representing personalities such as Hendrik Potgieter, Andries Pretorius, Piet Retief. Every statue weighs about 6 tons.

On the monument's eastern corner, where its entry is, you'll find the Foundation Stone, and under it, was buried a copy of the Trekker Vow on the year December 16, 1838, a copy of the anthem "Die Stem," and a copy of the Land Deal between the Trekkers under Piet Retief and the Zulus under King Dingane.

 

Years after its construction, the entire monument complex saw expansion many times, today including:

1) An indigenous lovely garden surrounding Voortrekker Monument.

2) The Wall of Remembrance in dedication to everyone losing their lives when serving in the South African Defence Force.

3) Fort Schanskop, a close by Fort that the South African government constructed in 1897, following the Jameson Raid. Today a museum.

4) The Schanskop out-of-doors amphitheater, seating for only 357 people, became officially open on January 30, 2001.

5) A Garden of Remembrance.

6) A nature Reserve was announced in 1992 on 3.41 km² surrounding Voortrekker Monument. Game seen on the Reserve range from zebras, mountain reedbuck, Blesbok, impala, to springbok.

7) A Wall of Remembrance was built in 2009 near Voortrekker Monument in 2009 in order to honor the courageous soldiers belonging to the South African Defence Force, dying while serving their country during 1961 and 1994 time period.

8) Afrikaner Heritage Centre, constructed for preserving the Heritage of the South African population slice, the Afrikaans-speaking citizens as well as their historical contribution to the country. 

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