It sounds like a horrible nightmare: human bones stacked in patterns on the floor, their skulls lining the walls and staring, gaping-eyed, at visitors. It’s no nightmare, though: in churches, cathedrals and underground chambers all over the world, the bones of millions of dead greet visitors. The grisly rooms, known as ossuaries, serve as the final resting place for human remains, often due to overcrowded cemeteries. They exist for different reasons, but they all hold a sort of macabre fascination for us, the living. These seven stunning examples of ossuaries remind us that life is fleeting, but some part of us can live on in this world.

1. Sedlec Ossuary, Czech Republic

Easily one of the most incredible collections of human bones in the world, the Sedlec Ossuary in the Czech Republic is unlike anything else. The small church rests at the outskirts of Kutna Hora and is filled with the mortal remains of more than 40,000 people. The origins of the “Bone Church,” as it’s commonly known, are nearly as interesting as the array of bones. In 1278, an abbot named Henry made a pilgrimage to Jesus’ burial place and brought back a small amount of earth. He sprinkled the dirt over the Sedlec cemetery, making it holy ground. Suddenly, it was the most popular place to be buried. When the cemetery ran out of room, the previously buried bodies were dug up, starting in 1511, to make room for the more recently dead.

It wasn’t until 1870 that the excavated bones were put to use. That’s when a local woodcarver, František Rint, was employed to arrange the huge quantity of bones in an attractive way. Rint proved to be a true artist, creating the most amazing bone art the world has ever seen. A coat of arms on the wall depicts a raven pecking at a skull, the breathtaking bone chandelier uses every bone in the human body at least once, and the walls and ceiling are adorned with jaunty strings of bones and skulls. The chapel is a Christian church, not a cult or Satanic ritual space as is often rumored. The bones on display were simply removed from the ground to allow more Christians to be buried on holy ground. The resulting ossuary is maybe the most beautiful one on Earth.

2. Santa Maria della Concezione, Rome, Italy

Santa Maria della Concezione is a wonderful example of the fact that not everyone sees death as something to be feared. The church features the remains of more than 4,000 Capuchin friars arranged in artistic displays. Some bodies are complete and dressed in Capuchin robes, but most have been disassembled and are displayed individually as bones in artful designs. A plaque in the chapel tells visitors in three languages “What you are now, we once were; what we are now, you shall be.” It is a reminder that life is fleeting and that any one of us could be gone tomorrow. Rather than being gruesome or horrific, the reminder is gentle and positive, reminding us to take care of our affairs today and be right with the higher power at all times.

3. Brno Ossuary, Brno, Czech Republic

The Brno Ossuary has been quietly existing under St. Jacob’s Square for hundreds of years, mostly forgotten. When a new construction project was set to begin in the area in 2001, a routine exploratory archaeological dig was performed. What it turned up was beyond anyone’s imagination. The remains of approximately 50,000 people were found stuffed into the subterranean channel. The bodies were likely dug up from cemeteries to make room for more burials. They were, at one time, stacked neatly, but centuries of neglect and flooding saw them washed into a big messy pile. The city began restorations on the site and plan to open it to the public in 2010 or 2011; it will be Europe’s second-biggest ossuary. And although it’s filled with dead bodies, the ossuary won’t be a place to get lost in morbidity or sadness; rather, it will be an ideal place to meditate on the relationship between life and death.

4. Capela dos Ossos, Evora, Portugal

The Capela dos Ossos, or Chapel of Bones, sits next to the Church of St. Francis and is a major tourist attraction in Evora. Like the above ossuaries, the goal of this particular mass crypt isn’t to scare or disgust; it’s to inspire visitors to contemplate the transitory nature of life. The Capela dos Ossos was created in the 16th century to handle overflow from local cemeteries and to communicate the inevitability of death. One of the more noticeable features of the chapel is the two dessicated bodies – a man and a young child – hanging by chains from the wall. Their identities are unknown, but local legend says that they are a father and son who treated the mother of the family badly and were cursed.

5. Chapel of Skulls, Czermna, Poland

The story of the Chapel of Skulls (or Kaplica Czazek) is almost more interesting than the actual display of human remains in this Polish church. Between the years of 1776 and 1804, a Czech priest and a local gravedigger spent many long hours exhuming bodies from the numerous mass graves in the Czermna area. They set aside the more interesting skulls (those will bullet holes or obvious maladies, or those of politicians) and took the rest to the chapel. Overall, they dug up somewhere in the neighborhood of 24,000 skeletons. Most of them are stuffed into the 16-foot underground crypt, but the bones of approximately 3000 people adorn the chapel in what the Czech priest liked to call a “sanctuary of silence.”

6. Paris Catacombs

The bone-lined catacombs under Paris are arguably the most famous – and undoubtedly the largest – underground ossuary in the world. From the 18th century, poor burial procedures and hopeless overcrowding in Parisian cemeteries were causing widespread disease among inhabitants. It was decided that the dead would be buried in a the large system of tunnels (actually depleted quarries) beneath the city, and the long process of moving them all began. While the bones were originally just piled up and labeled, French officials eventually realized that the catacombs could become a major tourist attraction. The bones were tidied and arranged in neat displays, with stacks of tibiae and skulls forming lovely – if macabre walls. Sadly, a vandalism incident in September 2009 caused Paris officials to close the catacombs to tourists for an undisclosed period of time.

7. Skull Tower of Niš, Serbia

The Skull Tower in Serbia is the only bone collection on this list that is actually meant to inspire terror in those who see it. However, the terror incited by the tower was meant for a long-ago enemy. In 1809, the Serbian rebel army suffered a significant setback in their quest for freedom from the Ottoman Empire. The commander of the Turkish army ordered the heads of the fallen Serbs to be cut off and mounted on a tower to warn anyone who might try to fight against the Empire. A total of 952 were once a part of the Skull Tower, but over the years deterioration and family members have claimed most of the skulls. Only 58 remain today, and a chapel was built to protect the tower. It stands today as a monument to the brave Serbs who fought for their independence.

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It’s been said, Don’t wait for your ship to come in – swim out to it.  This positive slant on the big picture of life is something that swimmers can really get into. Across this world, there are thousands upon thousands of places to swim. It’s good for your health and good clean fun. But if you are bored of ordinary swimming pools, there are too many other unusual or cool places to swim that are far from dull to keep you happy and entertained. Consider a bit of travel to visit theses 14 places to swim, from the bizarre to the beautiful.

Dumpster Diving, Deep Pool, Sunken Treasure

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Most people enjoy playing in the water. Some places are cool, some more of an adventure, and some places are a makeshift place to swim. Pool parties are a blast, but in Brooklyn the party is a version of dumpster diving. This trashy, trendy feature of filling up the bins with water and going for a dip is making waves in urban areas. It’s about urban renewal and the effective use of resources and space. A very different type and the deepest recreational pool in the world can be found in Belgium. Nemo 33 is over 100 feet deep. However, yet another swimming experience can be found in Truk Lagoon, a part of the Federated States of Micronesia. Chuuk, is a sheltered body of water nearly fifty miles long by thirty miles wide and is surrounded by a protective reef. In the crystal clear water, divers play among the ghostly remains of 60 ships and 275 aircraft that haunt the seabed. Some ships lie at a depth of 49 feet.

Dead Sea

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The Dead Sea is a hypersaline lake and one of the world’s saltiest bodies of water. This salt lake has Jordan to the east and Israel to the west. The shores are the lowest land point on the surface of the Earth, at 1,385 feet below sea level. The Dead Sea is the deepest hypersaline lake in the world with a depth of 1,240 feet. Due to the high salinity, a person is especially buoyant and can sit almost on the surface without sinking. The density of the saltwater is supposed to be an awesome sensation.

Bizarrely Beautiful Depths

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Divers play in the deep waters around the globe. Some search for treasure or sunken ships, while others swim where they can enjoy the coral reefs and colorful, exotic marine life. One extreme form of aquatic species is the giant jellyfish. They are benefiting from overfishing and now are taking over parts of the word’s ocean like off the coast of northern Japan. Some divers choose to swim and to track a monster Echizen jellyfish like this one with a body almost 5 feet across. Swimming with super-sized jellyfish can also be done in Southeast Asia, the Gulf of Mexico, the Black Sea and the North Sea. The biggest jellyfish in the world is called Nomura, can weigh 400 pounds and be the size of a Sumo wrestler.

Jellyfish Lake, Palau

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In the nation of Palau, more than 12,000 years ago, a rock island sealed off from the ocean and jellyfish were trapped inside as it changed to a marine lake. With few predators at Eil Malk rock island, the jellyfish thrived and multiplied. Now this lake holds more than 10 million jellyfish and is known as Jellyfish Lake. Their ability to sting disappeared over time, so now swimming with them is completely harmless. These jellies vary from blackberry- to basketball-sized and swim with the path of the sun across the surface of the lake each day.

Devil’s Pool

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In Zimbabwe, a surreal location called The Devil’s Pool is a small lagoon enclosed by rocks yet on the very edge of falling into a gorge. It can be found at Victoria Falls, one the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. It is 5,600 feet wide and 360 feet high, where the water plunges down the largest waterfall in the world. The drop-off  is mere inches from The Devil’s Armchair. When the river is at a safe level, between the months of September and December, people can swim in The Devil’s Pond as close as possible to the edge of the falls. Swimmers can sit right on edge of The Devil’s Armchair without being pushed over the edge and falling to their death below.

Natural Phenomenon Bioluminescent Bay at La Parguera

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Vieques Island in Puerto Rico offers one of the best swimming experiences. Although the name Mosquito Bay may not sound enticing, this shallow body of water reveals secrets even during dark nights with no moonlight. It is the water that glows. No, not with radioactivity, but within each gallon of the bay, there are 720,000 phosphorescent single-celled organisms that glow when they are agitated. Swimming in Mosquito Bay will bathe your limbs in blue-green light. This eerie yet cool light is a defense mechanism by the tiny dinoflagellates that will dim and eventually disappear if you hold completely still. If, however, you scoop up a handful of water, you can watch the glowing planktons roll down yours arms and stream from your hair. Like the Dead Sea, the salinity of the water is so high that you can float sitting upright, instead of sinking. Have fun floating and glowing in this rare and endangered Bioluminescent Bay.

Taal Lake: Philippines

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In the Philippines, Taal Lake is a freshwater lake within a crater abyss that was formed by eruptions eons ago. The active Taal Volcano lies on an island in the center of the lake. Swimmers can discover all kinds of surprises in this lake, such as the world’s only freshwater sardines or something a bit more ominious. Taal Lake is home to one of the world’s rarest sea snakes, one of two “true” sea snake species that live entirely in freshwater. Have fun swimming here, but keep an eye out for the sea monster snake, the Hydrophis semperi.

Heaven Lake: North Korea/China

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Another absolutely gorgeous lake for swimmers to visit is aptly named, Heaven Lake. Located on the border between North Korean and China, this is the world’s highest crater lake at a altitude of 7,182 feet. Heaven lake is huge and has a depth of 699 feet. However, if you plan to travel so you can swim there, keep in mind that from mid-October to mid-June, it is covered with ice.

Lake Saiful Maluk: Pakistan

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In a land of beauty and yet hardships, Pakistan offers a serene and breathtaking place to swim at Lake Saiful Muluk. It is one of the highest lakes in Pakistan with an altitude of over 10,577 feet above sea level. The water here is crystal clear and cool, fed by the melting glaciers around the high basin.

Coatepeque Caldera

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Another spectacular natural pool and cool place to swim can be found in El Salvador. Coatepeque Caldera is a volcanic crater that was formed from massive explosive eruptions between 27,000 and 57,000 years ago. Six rhyodacitic lava domes have formed, making it an unusual place to swim. There is also a hot springs at Lake Coatepeque. The island of Teopan can easily be seen in the lake and has some importance as a Mayan site.

Cave Diving

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Some water lovers grow bored of swimming for swimming’s sake and instead decide to snorkel or dive. In northern Florida, this underwater cave can be reached by free diving. The diver in the photo is swimming about 20 feet into the opening of Devil’s Eye Spring. Other free divers descend to 40 or 45 feet, while yet other brave souls free dive even further and leap-frog from air pocket to air pocket inside the cave.

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