HALLSTATT, AUSTRIA

Hallstatt, Austria is a great little town right on the banks of Hallstatter See.  Mountains rise straight up from the water giving a feeling of protection.  The town dates back to prehistoric times when the salt mines were first begun.  The salt mines still operate today albeit in less substantial way.  Now the town relies on tourism for its existence.   

One of the churches in town is the small Catholic parish church.  Originally built in 1181 the church that exists today was completed in 1505.   Shortly after this time the push and shove between Catholic and Protestant began and this church became Protestant.   I am not sure when, but at some point it seems to have reverted back to a Catholic Parish.  It was renovated just 10 years ago.  

The rocky land near the church became the church cemetery.   There are no family graves here, and a grave can be reoccupied after 10 years.  

FOR A SMALL CHURCH THIS PLACE HAS A LOT TO TALK ABOUT.   THERE IS A STORY HERE AS WELL.   THIS IS THE CRYPT OF A MAN WHO DIED IN THE 18TH CENTURY.   THE STORY IS THAT THIS MAN REQUESTED THAT EVERY 50 YEARS AFTER HIS DEATH HIS COFFIN BE BROUGHT ACROSS THE LAKE AND PLACED IN THE CHURCH.   SO FAR, THEY HAVE FOLLOWED HIS INSTRUCTIONS.   I THINK THE WHOLE TOWN PARTICIPATES.

Next to the church is a very small chapel.  This is the Beinhaus (Bone House).  It dates back to the 12th Century AC.  There are over 1200 skulls here, 610 of them have been painted with flowers and neatly stacked.   The cemetery is so small and there was no room for expansion they would take the bones after 10-15 years and clean them and set them out in the sun to bleach.   Then relatives of the dead would decorate the skulls if they wished.   This tradition dates back to 1720 and the last skull to be added was in 1995.  It sits right next to the cross; the woman died in 1983 and her last request was to be placed in the Beinhaus.