Arches beneath the old St. Michael’s Church by the River Moselle at Alken, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, offer views through ancient iron grilles of the skulls and bones of medieval parishioners piled up in its Gebeinhaus (charnel house, bone house or ossuary), which was closed to new interments in the early 15th century. The alte St. Michaelskirche, mentioned in 1015, is one of the oldest churches in the Moselle or Mosel region. The interior features frescoes dating from the 1300s.
Alken, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany: a red-painted arch through an external wall of the Alte St. Michaelskirche (old Church of Saint Michael) offers a glimpse, through ancient iron grilles or gratings, of the skulls and other bones of medieval parishioners stored in the Gebeinhaus (bone house, charnel house or ossuary) beneath the church floor. The human remains here include bones transferred from the small cramped cemetery surrounding the church. The ossuary was closed to new interments at the beginning of the 15th century. The Alte St. Michaelskirche is first mentioned in 1015 and is believed to be one of the oldest churches in the Moselle or Mosel region. It was replaced as Alken’s parish church in 1849, but is still used for worship in summer and is very popular as a wedding venue. Inside, several well-preserved 14th century frescoes survive in the sanctuary and there are further frescoes dating from about 1450 in the nave. Alken is a small Moselle River cruise port. Its other historic sights include ancient houses, remains of medieval walls, the Laacher Hof dating from 1093, and Burg Thurant, picturesque ruins standing on a hill spur high above the town of a castle once jointly owned by the archbishops of Trier and Cologne.
Size: 4288px × 2848px
Location: St. Michaelskirche, Alken, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
Photo credit: © Terence Kerr / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
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