A visit to the crypt of Santa Maria dell'Orazione e Morte (translating to St. Mary of Prayer and Death) is an eye-opening experience with which to ponder on one’s own mortality whilst surrounded by a fascinating array of skulls and memento mori artworks.

The church which resides on the cobbled backstreets of Via Giulia, was constructed in the 16th century for the ‘Confraternity of Prayer and Death’, which was previously known as the ‘Company of the Dead’. During this time there were no public cemeteries and often when people died who could not afford a proper burial, they would be found abandoned on the outskirts of the city or washed up on the banks of the river Tiber.

The purpose of the company was to collect the corpses and provide them with a Christian burial in the graveyard associated with the church. Here the bodies would be left to decompose before being moved into the ossuary crypt, creating more space for new cadavers to be buried in the graveyard.

In 1538, Pope Julius II approved for the brotherhood to continue their charitable work and thus many expansions and renovations were made to the church and graveyard to allow for this. Unfortunately, the ancient burial site was lost during the construction of the travertine walls on the Tiber, which still protect Rome today.

Through an unassuming side door to the left of the church and down a short corridor you will uncover the steps to the underground crypt, where members of the company would store corpses when they ran out of space in the graveyard. Within the chamber, skulls and bones decorate the walls in different artistic formations; even the chandeliers are made from human vertebrate!

As you start to descend the stairs look closely to your left to find a particularly interesting gravestone attached to the wall showcasing various illustrations of skulls, bones and hourglasses. Continue under the large carving of the skull and cross bones in front of you and head down to the ossuary. This magnificent crypt once used to hold the vaults where over 8,000 bodies were buried but unfortunately most of the site was destroyed and the chamber is all that remains. If you look closely, some of the skulls still show the year and cause of death engraved on the forehead.

The space is only small but is a hugely significant piece of history and holds many captivating pieces including a holy water stoup with a skeleton above, macabre sculptures and dark illustrations.

The exterior of the church which was remodelled in 1733 is festooned with laurelled skulls above the doorway and skeletons etched on the marble alms boxes provided for donations. Personally, I had never previously seen artwork similar to these plaques, so I found their designs extremely interesting. Look out for the plaque which depicts a winged skeleton displaying the inscription Hodie Mihi, Cras, Tibi which is a Latin phrase meaning ‘Today for me, tomorrow for you’.

Tip: The crypt has strange opening hours so please check online before planning your visit.