Capela dos OssosAbout Capela dos Ossos
The Capela dos Ossos is a small chapel in Évora, Portugal, noted for its interior decorated with human bones. It dates from the late 16th century and is attached to the Church of São Francisco.
The chapel’s nave and side walls are faced with human skulls and long bones creating a striking, macabre interior that illustrates a memento mori theme. Visitors commonly view the bone-lined walls and a short chapel space that includes the well-known inscription about mortality.
The chapel was created by Franciscan monks using skeletal remains exhumed from local cemeteries as part of a devotional space intended to remind visitors of the transience of life. Its construction and decoration date to the late 1500s.
Located in the historic centre of Évora in Portugal’s Alentejo region, the chapel sits within walking distance of the city’s main square and Roman and medieval monuments, roughly 130 km east of Lisbon.
- Bones: interior walls and ceiling are lined with human bones and skulls arranged by Franciscan monks as a memento mori
- Inscription: contains a famous Portuguese inscription that translates as “We bones that are here, await yours”
Nearby Attractions to Capela dos Ossos
Best Time to Visit Capela dos Ossos
Best in spring and autumn for comfortable exploration of Évora and the Capela dos Ossos; summer heat can be oppressive.
Weather & Climate near Capela dos Ossos
Capela dos Ossos's climate is classified as Hot-Summer Mediterranean - Hot-Summer Mediterranean climate with warm summers (peaking in August) and cold winters (coldest in January). Temperatures range from 5°C to 32°C. Moderate rainfall (646 mm/year) with a pronounced dry season.
| Month | Comfort | Temp | Feels | Rain | Sky | Humidity | Wind | UV | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Good | 5° - 14° | 8° | 89 mm | partly cloudy | 85% | 3.0 m/s | 0.3 low | 9.7h |
| February | Good | 6° - 15° | 10° | 71 mm | partly cloudy | 81% | 3.4 m/s | 0.6 moderate | 10.6h |
| March | Very Good | 7° - 18° | 12° | 51 mm | partly cloudy | 76% | 3.5 m/s | 0.9 moderate | 11.8h |
| April | Very Good | 8° - 19° | 14° | 63 mm | partly cloudy | 73% | 3.5 m/s | 1.4 high | 13.1h |
| May | Excellent | 10° - 23° | 17° | 54 mm | some cloud | 65% | 3.5 m/s | 1.8 very high | 14.1h |
| June | Ideal | 13° - 28° | 21° | 23 mm | mostly sunny | 57% | 3.4 m/s | 2.2 extreme | 14.6h |
| July | Ideal | 15° - 32° | 23° | 4 mm | clear | 52% | 3.6 m/s | 2.3 extreme | 14.4h |
| August | Ideal | 15° - 32° | 23° | 5 mm | clear | 51% | 3.5 m/s | 2.0 very high | 13.5h |
| September | Ideal | 15° - 28° | 21° | 29 mm | mostly sunny | 58% | 3.1 m/s | 1.4 high | 12.3h |
| October | Excellent | 12° - 23° | 17° | 71 mm | partly cloudy | 71% | 3.0 m/s | 0.8 moderate | 11.1h |
| November | Very Good | 8° - 17° | 13° | 84 mm | partly cloudy | 81% | 3.0 m/s | 0.4 low | 10.0h |
| December | Good | 6° - 14° | 8° | 102 mm | partly cloudy | 85% | 3.2 m/s | 0.3 low | 9.4h |
How to Get to Capela dos Ossos
The Capela dos Ossos is in Évora’s historic centre, attached to the Church of São Francisco. Évora is a 1-1.5 hour drive from Lisbon; regional buses and trains connect the city to the capital and other Alentejo towns.
Tips for Visiting Capela dos Ossos
- Arrive early to avoid coach groups that visit the chapel later in the morning.
- Bring a flashlight for closer inspection of small inscriptions and bone arrangements in dim corners.
- Respect the sanctity of the site - it is an active church as well as a historical chapel.