The Aître St Maclou is located in Rouen, Normandy.
It’s one of Europe‘s last known plague pit.
Initially created to be a mass grave for the Black Plague victims in 1348, years turned it into a tourist attraction.
As they often do.
It’s still better than being obliterated for a new office workplace, I guess.
A mass grave transformed
All the cemeteries were filling up too quickly back then, making the tough decision to create a new place to store the bones exhumed as a way to make room.
Constructed all throughout the 16th century, it was then turned into a school, first for boys, and then for girls.
It eventually became an art school.
The carved wood shows skulls and tools. A dark reminder of the place’s past. They spread across the entire yard.
A momified cat even greets you at the entrance. But don’t trust the legend, it wasn’t used to ward off the plague, as medieval beliefs would like you to believe. It’s mostly there to either keep the legend alive, or for shock value.
I haven’t figured out which one it is yet.
A café on the remains of the dead. How very French.
It’s not until the 18th century that the human bones were removed (except for one used as diplay), and it now houses an art gallery and a café.
Yes. You read that right.
You can sip a beer and order a croque monsieur on a former massive plague pit.
The café is named Hamlet. How adequate.
There are also concerts, viking camps and events every so often.
Because apparently, time + clean-up means we no longer give a fuck ?
Nothing says let’s have lunch like a former cemetery, I guess.
If you’d like to visit, follow the skulls.
