The Charnel House in Tulln

The charnel house in Tulln, a late Romanesque building from around 1240, is one of the most important ossuaries in Europe. Probably commissioned by Duke Frederick II, it shows parallels to buildings in Jak, Hungary. Its eleven-sided floor plan could go back to a sacred building in Jerusalem. The upper floor served as a cemetery chapel and is entered via a magnificent Romanesque portal. The lower floor was an ossuary until 1785.

Inside, the charnel house impresses with its domed architecture and frescoes depicting Christian virtue and vice. On the right, the wise virgins symbolise goodness, while on the left, hellish spirits lead the foolish virgins to their doom. Directly opposite the altar, a figure with a wine barrel symbolises intemperance. The chancel is a unique testimony to medieval art and religious beliefs.
 

Public arrival is easily accessible by train or bus.