Saint Saturnin's Churchyard, Former cemetery in Vienne district, Blois, France.
Saint Saturnin's Churchyard is a former burial site in Blois featuring covered galleries that frame a central garden area. Bodies were held temporarily before being moved to bone chambers built within the structure itself.
Construction began between 1516 and 1520 to solve overcrowding at existing burial grounds in the city. The gallery design allowed the space to hold more remains and organize them more effectively.
The gallery walls display sculptures showing death and loss, which reveal how medieval people thought about endings and remembering those who had passed.
Wear comfortable shoes as the stone floors under the galleries can be uneven in places. Local guides from the city and the heritage group offer tours that help you understand the layout and details.
Only four of these burial grounds remain in all of France, making this one exceptionally rare. The ongoing restoration work is uncovering details about how burials and remains were managed during medieval times.
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