Idyllic . . . simply idyllic.
Hallstatt: This charming village sits on a ledge nestled between the Austrian Alps and the lake below. Originally a salt-mining village, it was built before Rome (circa 800 BC) in a time when salt was more precious than gold. It was a holiday retreat for royalty in the 1800s, but is now a shrinking village of approximately 1000 residents who revel in a bygone era.
As you can imagine, this intimate community has limited green space yet maximizes every inch to create a sanctuary of color and tranquility.
The cemetery is no exception . . . . .
. . . but both space and life are finite.
After 12 years of "rest" in the cemetery, the bones were dug up to make room for new graves. The skulls are then lovingly cleaned, named, dated, decorated by hand and placed in the Bone Chapel. The Bone Chapel currently holds more than 600 painted skulls but this practice ended in the 1960s when the Catholic Church began to permit cremation.
Despite the Bone Chapel, we found the people charming and very proud of their village --- and heritage.
Even Bob the cat came out to greet us as we meandered through the village . . .
. . . and proudly perches over Hallstatt as if to protect it from the tainting of time.
(Keep up the good work Bob!)
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