Kutna Hora, Prague

Invention of the first Cistercian Monastery in 12th century was a beginning of Kutna Hora site, from 1260 Germans found here a valuable place to mine out silver started to do it at mountains nearby. The city became quite rich due to silver mines; the quite interesting fact to tell that from the 13th to 16th centuries city was about equal level with Prague culturally, politically, and economically. In 15th century it was second by importance in Bohemia.

City is lively, full of historical sites, including rich gothic style St. Barbora Church, unique Bone Church. In the year of 1995 old part of city was included into UNESCO World Heritage Sites list.

Kutna Hora is a great town to get away to and slow down a bit.

I was married there. In fact, I was the first Canadian to ever be married in Sv. Barbora Church, which is the UNESCO protected church you see in all the postcards from Kutna Hora. It is an amazing town to walk around, with small shops, cafes, and tiny little streets to explore. And besides the church, you also have the bone church, which is located just outside the town in Sedlec, and is one of the most amazing things you will see in your life.

You also have the chance to go into the silver mine that made Kutna Hora one of the richest and most prosperous towns in Europe in its time.

Overall, Kutna Hora is not a place you can spend days and days, if you are travelling around, but it is definitely worth at least one day trip from Prague.

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A nice half day trip. An old silver town with some interesting archetecture. We took a tour from Prague which included lunch. Reasonable price. Included was a visit to the Osiary (bone chapel) Quite macabre!

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About an hours train journey away is the old town of Kutna Hora, which is famous for its Bone Church. I was interested to see this place as I had seen Ewan McGregors motorbike adventure 'The Long way Round' stop here, and as I find this sort of stuff interesting it was a must see for myself. The town itself is great with many old places of interest to visit and wander around.... The Trip there and back shouldn't set you back more than $12

Majority of tourists never go outside of Prague. It is really big pity. Czech Republic is not only Prage but also landscape, mountins, villages, towns. "Kutna Hora" with its "Temple of Saint Barbara" (in czech Svata Barbora) as a representant of gothic architecture is one of the cities which are to be highly reccomended to visit. Stunning temple under UNESCO is monumental. Besides you may feel spirit of normal typical czech town. Prague is very often very busy. "Kutna Hora" is smaller, calmer with people more willing to help. People, especially older people do not speak much foreign languages so they may be aware to talk to you. Do not give up! Learn few words in czech like Hello=Ahoj, Thank you= dik and you will see smiles on people?s faces.

Chapel of Skulls or Bones located at Kutna Hora is quite fascinating to visit. Supposedly to build up of 40,000 bones. My favourite is the chandelier. It's rather spooky...and we are not allowed to take pictures, unless you pay some money.
Read more at :-
http://www.artgraphica.net/art-shop/prague-kutna-hora-bone-church.htm
OR check out :
www.kutnahora.cz

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A very nice daytrip from Prague is a visit to Kutna Hora. This is a small city with 22.000 inhabitants, at 60 kilometres east from Prague, about an hour driving.

Kutna Hora is one of the nicest town in Bohemia, with its Medieval Citycentre. The streets are narrow, full of curves and wonderful to take a walk through. Then there are two big central squares with restaurants and cafe's and nice buildings around them and there are some important attractions to visit.

An impressive line of religious, baroc statues lead towards the Barbara Cathedral. This was built between 1388 and 1558 and really is a beautiful building. In a very own gothical style, the church rises high above all other buildings in the city. Inside there is a lot to see, but the outside stays the must impressive of all.

In the centre itself are several buildings that are dedicated to the Silver industry of Kutna Hora. The presence of silver mines nearby made the city to wealthy centre in its region, and still is important. The rest of the centre has lots of other old buildings. Enough to fill a day.

And the most extraordinairy building in Kutna Hora definitely is the Bonehouse of Sedlec. This is a very strange chapel belonging to an old cloister. The interior is completely decorated with bones, from over 40.000 people. The bones come from the graveyard nearby where lots of people wanted to be buried because they believed it was sacred ground. Because of the Pest epidemia though, it became too full. In 1870, when the complex was renovated, the owner decided to used the countless bones to decorate the interior. Artist Frantisek Rint made the church into what it is now: an unbelieveble place where death and beauty are very close to each other.

Kutna Hora is about an hour from Prague on a fast train - make sure you get on the right train! You can get a ticket through to Kutna Hora - you will need to change trains near Sedlic and get on a small "toy" train like a tram up to KH.
We did'nt have enough time here due to it being very cold, snowing and having a complaining family but I thought it a wonderful place. The cathedral is not to be missed - it has several artifacts over 700 years old and some of the original early medieval artwork to the walls and ceilings intact. This is rare glimpse into ancient rural life - the scenes are local to the area of artisans and local people - I found it fascinating.