Metnitz Chapel Dance of the Dead
Photographed in June, 2015 by James Derheim, European Focus Private Tours. Concentrates on the 15th century fresco “Dance of the Dead” mainly, which was my clients’ interest.
The Metnitz Dance of Death in Metnitz, Austria, refers to a unique medieval tradition featuring 15th-century Danse Macabre frescoes (now mostly copies in a museum), a museum dedicated to the theme, and a traditional folk play performed by locals, all centered around the theme of Death uniting all social classes before its altar, highlighting mortality and equality. The play uses simple language and involves actors from the community, performing in the churchyard, making Metnitz a significant European center for this cultural phenomenon.
Key Aspects:
- Frescoes & Museum: The original frescoes were on an ossuary wall but are now too damaged; copies are displayed in the Metnitz Death Dance Museum, alongside other death dance depictions from Europe.
- The Play (Totentanz): A unique, locally performed play where Death (as a rotting corpse) leads figures from all walks of life (Pope, Emperor, peasant, child) in a round dance, emphasizing everyone’s shared fate.
