Built in 1514 and containing around 31,000 skulls, the ossuary in the Valais village of Naters is not particularly spectacular, but its peaceful atmosphere makes it well worth a visit if you are in the Rhône Valley. And the ossuary is certainly an ideal place for reflection!
History and description
Ossuaries are places where the most important bones of the deceased are kept. The Nater ossuary was probably built on an old cemetery and today has the shape of a small chapel. A barred window allows a view of the numerous skulls and femurs from the outside. The gloomy atmosphere is particularly evident at nightfall.
The crypt's beams are adorned with a very interesting inscription: "What you are / we were / what we are / you will become". It is a late Gothic memento mori (remember death).
The St. Kümmernus Legend
With arms outstretched, the crypt is adorned with a cross on the right-hand side, which is associated with the name St. Kümmernus. According to legend, a noble king's daughter who became a Christian was forced by her father to marry a heathen. When she asked God in this distress to disfigure her face, a beard grew on her. Her father then had her nailed to a cross. Exactly one cross with St. Kümmernus on it now adorns the chapel. Scientists deny the existence of a St. Kümmernus, but a bearded king's daughter gives rise to some speculation!
Directions and access
The ossuary is located in the middle of Naters in the Valais on the street named after him. The crypt can be viewed at any time. However, if you want to go into the crypt, it is worth asking the priest or Siegrist for the key! It is also worth entering the chapel above the crypt, as there are strange inscriptions and drawings to be seen there. One of these shows a knight fighting a dragon. This is probably the legendary dragon of Naters! It is not known whether the other drawings depict another of the 73 legends surrounding the village of Naters.
