“A day in Kutná Hora”
Kutná Hora, Czechia (The Czech Republic). May 2018 (14 photos)
This is Part 2 of my Czechia (The Czech Republic) 2018 photo series, and also Part 15 of my Europe 2018 photo series.
Let’s leave Paris for a moment, although there were a significant number of requests in my previous post about East Paris to make a separate post about Pere Lachaise which I’ll do soon enough.
Approximately an hour to the east of Prague in the Central Bohemian Region of The Czech Republic, is the ancient silver mining city of Kutná Hora. Its historical centre is now a UNESCO world heritage site.
In the 13th century silver was discovered in the area and Kutná Hora flourished. The royal mint was established in the early 14th century during the reign of King Wenceslas II. It became the second most important town in the Kingdom of Bohemia. During the 16th century, the mines began to run dry and the town´s treasure soon became history.
Of particular note, Kutná Hora has 3 interesting churches and for about the price of a cup of coffee in Australia, I bought a ticket that gave me access to all 3 churches. Let’s visit them, shall we…
Saint Barbara´s Church (The Cathedral of Saint Barbara)
Saint Barbara’s Church is a Roman Catholic church in the style of a Gothic Cathedral. It is one of the most famous Gothic churches in central Europe. St Barbara is the patron saint of miners, which is highly appropriate for a town whose wealth was based entirely upon its silver mines. Construction took nearly 500 years. The first architect is said to be Johann Parléř (son of Petr Parléř, the architect of St. Vitus Cathedral and the Charles Bridge in Prague). The interior is full of Gothic and Renaissance paintings.
The church also has more than its fair share of beautiful stained glass windows.
After photographing so many stained glass windows, I got a bit creative with my photography. 🙂
A section of the interior. Via a narrow spiral staircase I made it up to the first floor which you get a glimpse of in the above photo.
Church of the Assumption of Our Lady and Saint John the Baptist
This is one of the most important Czech Gothic buildings and one of the oldest examples of the Baroque Gothic style.
Inside is a rather lovely spiral staircase designed by Jan Blažej Santini Aichel.
The church was built first in the High Gothic style around 1300 as the first church in the kingdom resembling French Gothic cathedrals. It was built on the place of an older church and was a part of the Cistercian’s Sedlec Abbey, which was the oldest Cistercian abbey in the Czech lands founded in 1142. The abbey was burnt down by the Hussites in 1421 and the church became a ruin for the next two centuries. In 1700 the abbot of the Sedlec Abbey decided to rebuild the old church. The reconstruction was completed in an original style called Baroque Gothic. The church was consecrated in 1708.
The Sedlec Ossuary (The Bone Church)
The Sedlec Ossuary is a small underground Roman Catholic chapel, located beneath the Cemetery Church of All Saints, founded in the 13th century. František Rint was commissioned in 1870 to decorate the chapel. For that he used between 40,000 – 70,000 human bones artistically arranged to form numerous decorations and furnishings for the chapel.
An enormous chandelier of bones, which contains at least one of every bone in the human body, hangs from the center of the nave with garlands of skulls draping the vault.
Detail from the coat of arms of the local aristocratic House of Schwarzenberg,
So that’s how I spent a day in Kutná Hora. Whilst there I also managed to indulge in the classic Czech dish, Svíčková, with locally brewed beer, of course. During my time in Prague it rained on only one day and that huge downpour occurred on the day I was in Kutná Hora, where there only a quick 5 minute light sprinkle. I was quite lucky with that.
…
This is Part 2 of my Czechia (The Czech Republic) 2018 photo series.
This is Part 15 of my Europe 2018 photo series, including Czechia (The Czech Republic), The Netherlands, France, Italy, Austria, Greece and Germany.
Etcetera Etcetera Etcetera 
Lots of wow moments in that one. Great shots and stories.
It’s one of those places which really surprises you with its history. It’s a beautiful town with fabulous churches and buildings.
This is amazing. I love everything gothic.
You would love Kutna Hora! The architecture, the skeletons, the history.
I’m sure I would.
Thanks for sharing.
My pleasure. Have a great week ahead.
Flying to Croatia today. I most definitely will.
I’m jealous. 🙂
This brought back memories. I visited Kutna Hora and the macabre ossary a few years ago. We are planning to visit Prague next week as my daughter has a job there teaching English starting in September and wants help moving her luggage. I did not need much persuading to help.
It’s an interesting place. Yes, I remember you mentioned that to me before. I hope you get to enjoy those Christmas markets. 🙂
When my daughter was there a few weeks ago they were commemorating the Prague Spring. It seems incredible it was fifty years ago.
I know. A lot has happened in the last 50 years. I read there were protests this year about the current PM. History in the making, perhaps.
Wow!!! I’ve got to go there.
You should. It’s a beautiful town.
I’ve heard about this place, but never visited… Somewhat macabre…
Macabre, yet strangely beautiful. I wonder how he came up with the idea to create decorations like this. Well, there is a cemetery right outside.
I know, we do wonder at the artistic inspiration of others….
Exactly. And then the church agreed with his decor design?
That I find surprising !
OK, I’ve remembered there was an information sheet at the Ossuary and I took a photo of it with my phone. In essence…
In 1421 the Hussites attacked and captured Kutna Hora. The church on the grounds on which the Ossuary now exists was severely damaged and about 10000 were killed in the fighting and buried in the cemetery grounds. During reconstruction of the church at the end of the 15th century many of the bones and other graves were exhumed to reduce the size of the cemetery and these bones were used to decorate the Ossuary rather than be reburied or destroyed.
Oh, interesting!
Agreed. Fascinating history.
The bones chandelier is an absolute eye catcher – fascinating and as well scary…
All the “artwork” was quite impressive. Strangely beautiful, I think.
Good to see that you ventured out there. People rave about Cesky Krumlov, but I actually like Kutna Hora more. Fabulous stained glass shots. I didn’t go inside the churches there. That’s one thing about living in Europe for so many years, churches and castles start to look the same. Believe it or not.
Well, firstly thank you for suggesting a visit to Kutna Hora. Your help was much appreciated and well worth the time. I did consider Cesky Krumlov as well, but essentially it seemed like just a smaller version of Prague, so I went for the uniqueness of Kuta Hora. Perhaps if I had another day or two I would have gone there as well.
And I believe you. Having toured many castles/churches on this trip they did start to look alike. 🙂
It was my pleasure to help you. 🙂
Thank you. 🙂
The Cathedral of Saint Barbara…beautiful. Church of the Assumption of Our Lady and Saint John the Baptist…wow. The Bone Church… ok…it’s official. I’m scared! Stunning images of amazing locations.
The churches are magnificent, inside and out. The Bone Church is fascinating in its own right. It’s amazing. I believe this attracts more tourists than anywhere else in The Czech Republic, outside of Prague.
PS None of the bones moved or came to life whilst I was there. 😉
Good to hear! I wonder if the bones represent dragon victims? Hmmmmm…..
Possibly… 🙂
😮
😉
Wonderful photos of an odd place. I always wondered whether the families of the dead felt like when these bones were used in such ways.
I suppose that given the sheer number of bones, maybe they came from mass graves? I don’t know how the skeletons came to be “commandeered” to become art.
Update: I remembered there was an information sheet at the Ossuary and I took a photo of it with my phone. In essence…
In 1421 the Hussites attacked and captured Kutna Hora. The church on the grounds on which the Ossuary now exists was damaged and about 10000 were killed in the fighting and buried in the cemetery. During reconstruction of the church at the end of the 15th century many of the bones were exhumed to reduce the size of the cemetery and these were used to decorate the Ossuary.
Interesting. I wonder what kind of discussions took place about the disposal of the exhumed remains.
My guess about that time in history, what the Church decided, happened.
Probably. At the other end of the continent the Inquisition would begin just a little later.
Indeed.
Magnificent architecture and beautifully captured! I’d so nervous to see these bones though.
I don’t think the Czech’s know how to build an ugly building. It’s all beautiful.
You’d be OK in that basement with all those bones, Amy. It’s not like in the movies where you feel a cold wind/mist and then those bones come to life. Bwahaha 🙂
Kutna Hora looks fascinating. I wish I’d known about this place when I visited Prague some years ago. Not keen on the use of skeletons for ‘art’ or decoration or whatever. Seems wrong to me.
It’s a beautiful town full of beautiful buildings and the familiar cobblestone roads. I’m not sure the people here in olden days knew how to build an ugly building. 🙂
From an information sheet at the location, the town was heavily damaged and captured in a war in 1421. Thousands were buried in mass graves in the church grounds. When the church was being repaired/rebuilt they dug up the mass graves and this was the solution of what to do with them. Different times, different attitudes.
How best to express this… Wow! Gasp! Incredible! Eeeeeeekkkk 🙂
A common reaction. The Ossuary isn’t for everyone but I found it strangely fascinating. 🙂
Well dragons are like that yanno 😉
Yep. I know. 🙂
Wow! These are amazing. Although I must admit that the third one seems a bit ghoulish to me. But perhaps I just don’t understand.
Thanks. I’ve since discovered there were mass graves on the church’s land from a war in 1421. When they dug them up to reconstruct the damaged church, this is how they decided to use the bones. A different time in history obviously.
Oh, my. Not quite sure what to think. Although they’re probably not the first or only…
I’m sure they’re not the only.
Thank you for taking us…to beautiful places and strange ones as well. Marvelous shots as usual. Those stained glass windows are amazing, but the crypt is fantastic.
Great shots of the Ossuary decorations. I once visited the Capuchin Crypt in Rome, but they did not allow photographing. Yours are amazing. I was thinking about who all those bones came from – in Rome they were deceased monks. I really would love to go to Kutna Hora. Maybe some day…but not to be a decoration in the crypt though…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capuchin_Crypt
Thank you very much. It’s a shame they didn’t allow photography at the Capuchin Crypt but I’m guessing it’s difficult to forget a sight like that. I also saw an ossuary in one of the Greek monasteries at Meteora and of course, there are the famous Catacombs of Paris.
I’ve remembered I photographed an information sheet at the Sedlec Ossuary. In summary, there was a war in 1421 and over 10000 were buried in the cemetery grounds of the church. When they decided to reconstruct the war damaged church many years later they dug up the bones, and these were used for the decorations in the Bone Church.
Interesting information. I thank you for finding it and posting!
My pleasure.
Beautiful and fascinating post, friend
Thank you very much. There’s so much interesting history and architecture there.
Wowza and wowza!!!! That creative shot made my head spin for a moment, but I like it. But my question is, is King Wenceslas II the same as Good King Wenceslas who looked out on the feast of Stephen or not? Inquiring minds like mine want to know! 🙂
janet
Thank you, Janet. I tried several ways of moving the camera during a long handheld exposure and I thought this one came out rather nicely.
I’ve done some investigating. Wenceslas I (907AD – 935AD), is the subject of that famous carol. He was actually the Duke of Bohemia. He died as a martyr and he had a reputation for heroic goodness that resulted in his elevation to Sainthood. He was also posthumously declared to be a King and came to be seen as the patron Saint of the Czech state.
I’d never heard of this place Draco. The churches are beautiful ☺☺
I first knew about it from another blog site. Then I sought it out when I was in the Czech Republic. Beautiful architecture, great history and fascinating stuff.
Beautifully shots, LD. This is quite a place especially the Ossuary which is quite a shock.
Thanks, Jane. My understanding is that the Sedlec Ossuary is the most visited location in the Czech Republic outside of Prague. The “artwork” is actually quite impressive.
I was amazed when we visited.
Same.
Magnificent gothic churches, I love all the intricate designs. Wow 500 years to complete that was some achievement. The bone church is something else, makes me shudder and wonder where all the bones came from, but what an eerie and beautiful work of art it is. You certainly have found some interesting places to show us
Those churches are really quite impressive, inside and out. Much of the architecture there is so beautiful.
I casually took a cameraphone picture of an information sheet in the Sedlec Ossuary. I forgot I had it but following a war in 1421, thousands were buried on the war damaged church lands. When they undertook repair and reconstruction of the church, they dug up all the bones and used them here.
That is quite affordable, three for the price of one coffee. Couldn’t tell the architecture has been restructured, but that keeps it standing. Great luck with bring indoors on that rainy day 😊
Yes, I was very lucky I’d arranged to visit Kutna Hora on the day of a large downpour in Prague. Even better, it stopped raining in Prague about an hour after my return so I was able to get out and see more of Prague. It’s great when the sun doesn’t set until after 9pm. It was quite an impressive town. Full of character and history.
It is lovely when the sun sets later in the day. You do get more light for longer which means more opportunity for more clarity in your shots 🙂
True, and it just really feels like a holiday when you can stay out longer and eat later. 🙂
Wow, I only got the chance to visit Prague. I would love to go back and explore more.
I made a deliberate effort to get out of Prague, but I could so easily have stayed in Prague. So much more I missed out on seeing.
Hey Mr Draco .. oh that is some stained glass window! And that yellow passage and the staircase in the Church of Assumption of our Lady are fabulous! I’ll get there one day! 🙂 Super images as always
You should go. The Czech Republic is such a beautiful place. So much to photograph. Thanks so much, Julie.
Great post, loved it. I was in downtown Prague with a couple people during the huge downpour that occurred in May ~ it was really crazy. Beautiful, but crazy rain. Your zoom shot of the stained glass is awesome, I initially thought it was a GIF…very well done. Heading back to Czech Republic early September, already missing their beer 🙂
Thank you. Yes, I was there in May as well and there was a massive downpour one day but I was here in Kuta Hora that day. Try and get to Nase Maso butchery for a burger, steak or their meatloaf. You won’t regret it as long as you aren’t a vegetarian. 🙂
Great place I loved there…beautiful pics! Bye,Kamila
Thank you. It’s a very beautiful place.