Frozen Music

"I call architecture frozen music."

-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

The bone decorations at Sedlec are no doubt the main focus of everyone's attention. But there is also a layer of Gothic Baroque design that provides a backdrop for the unusual decor. This design is attributed to architect and builder Jan Blažej Santini Aichel, whose influence and work is well-known all around Czechia. At the time he started working on the Church of All Saints restoration, he was only 25 years old. His younger brother, František Jakub, was also involved doing stonework construction.

The most prominent change in the structure of the church, was a shield on the top of the exterior facade, between the two towers, to secure the building's stability. But he also carried his style all the way down into the underground Kostnice, in its details and decor, installing massive crowns to hang over the existing piles of bones, as well as corner prayer booths & candleholders. While time has not been so kind to all of these elements, they somehow still survived and can be seen in the present-day decor of the ossuary.

Looking at this unusual symbiosis of Baroque, Gothic, and Macabre, one cannot help but notice how those lines blur between different crafts, styles, and function. It can be said that every element in this church is architectural while at the same time being a work of art. For example, the 4 pyramids of bones that remain stacked in the corners, are structural on their own, and stand here without cement or glue, just like Egyptian pyramids. And while we still do not know if they have any interior supports, their influence on the overall architectural design is undeniable. The crowns that are suspended over the pyramids complete the design, and are most likely one of Santini’s signature elements. They represent triumph of Christianity in typical posh Baroque fashion, and he will go on to use similar crown iconography in his future designs. The corner prayer/kneeling platforms are a very old, massive construction. And they are once again very recognizable as Baroque, curved and adorned with spiral elements & decorations. These, unfortunately, have suffered the most from the humid environment of the basement, and look melancholically dilapidated when the morning sunrays wash over them from nearby windows. It is unknown if the woodwork around the church is attributed to Santini or Rint (being a woodcarver by trade), but it is yet another example of the remarkable craftsmanship adorning this structure, and worth noting when you walk around the room.

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