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OSSUARY AT ST. JAMES’ CHURCH

The number of discovered remains makes it the second largest in Europe, right behind the catacombs of Paris

Situated beneath St James’ Church, the ossuary is a place of remembrance with a mystical atmosphere. It was used for interring the skeletal remains of graves, which were then freed up to bury others.

Night tours of Ossuary

every holiday Friday
OSSUARY AT ST. JAMES’ CHURCH

Opening hours

Holiday opening hours

23.12.-26.12. Closed

27.12-29.12. 9:30-18:00

30.12. Closed

31.12. 9:30-15:00

Admission fees

Ticket office and reservations

Tickets can be bought on site. Payment in cash or by card is accepted. Tickets for selected dates can be purchased online (at least one day in advance). You can also book your tickets in advance by calling +420 725 518 113 or visiting kostnice@ticbrno.cz. Reservations are required for groups of 6 or more people.

Even more of the Brno underground

The more of Brno's underground you visit in one day, the more you save! Come see the Labyrinth under the Vegetable Market, the Ossuary at St. James, the Cellar under the New Town Hall, and the Water Reservoirs at Žlutý kopec. Or choose any combination of these places. You always get a discount on admission at the ticket office.

2 Brno underground sites 10 % discount
3 Brno underground sites 15 % discount
4 Brno underground sites
➔ Full 670 CZK
➔ Discounted 400 CZK
➔ Family 1560 CZK

Forgotten burial ground

The number of people buried here is estimated to exceed 50,000. There was a churchyard at the Church of St James (the site is now Jakubské náměstí, or St James Square) as early as the beginning of the 13th century. Like many other churchyards, its establishment within the city walls later prevented its extension. The churchyard capacity quickly became insufficient for the needs of the growing city, and a special system of burial had to be adopted in which graves were opened 10 to 12 years after burial and the remnants were removed to make room for another body in the grave.

The remnants from the original graves were moved to special underground areas, called ossuaries. These also quickly filled up due to frequent plague and cholera epidemics. The reforms introduced by Joseph II in 1784 resulted in churchyards being closed down for hygienic reasons. The remnants from the graves were moved into a crypt, the churchyard wall was torn down, the area around the church was paved with the former headstones, and the ossuary was gradually forgotten.

Today, the Ossuary at the Church of St James is an attraction for tourists as well as a place of reverence. The tour is very impressive thanks in part to music composed especially for this place.