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Kutna Hora: Beauty and Bones

By Betsy Wuebker 45 Comments

(Last Updated On: February 25, 2020)

On a day trip to Kutna Hora from Prague, we discovered the architectural legacy of medieval and renaissance Bohemia, presented in beauty and bones.

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Kutna Hora – View of St. Barbara’s Cathedral and government buildings

The inevitable question of anyone visiting Prague for the first time is, are you planning to go to Kutna Hora?

Kutna Hora is a UNESCO World Heritage city, arising from its historical status as an important Bohemian political and economic center beginning in the 14th and 15th centuries. What UNESCO calls the “cultural vivacity” of Kutna Hora was linked to riches from the area’s silver mines. Their prodigious output influenced currency reform and the establishment of a central mint at Kutna Hora in the year 1300 by King Vaclav I.

This thriving economy and royal favor sparked an architectural legacy in Kutna Hora, whose skyline is dominated by St. Barbara’s Cathedral, as well as the lesser Church of St. James. At the height of Kutna Hora’s boom, the royal residence and mint, the Italian Court, was simultaneously home to King Wenceslas and the state’s ore reserves.

Fortunately, we’d allowed an entire day for what turned out to be a memorable first look at Bohemia. Kutna Hora, best known for the Sedlec Ossuary (Bone Church), was much more than we expected.

It was nice to have a minder and companions in the form of our tour guide, Martin, an architectural student (this would prove to be fortuitous), and a group including an Australian couple and several young women from Asia. After a somewhat disorganized start, we hopped a local out of Prague for the hour-long train ride. This train had seen better days, but even then it had been basic. “Bare bones,” I thought and suppressed a laugh. Sick. I hoped the day’s experience wouldn’t devolve into an inappropriate joke fest in my head. Macabre already and not even off the train.

Kutna Hora

Cemetery Church of All Saints

We pulled in to the Sedlec stop, Martin hustling us off and along, setting the pace ahead and we, following like good little ducklings, struggling a bit to keep up. Trudging, really, if you want to know the truth, along a sidewalk with houses and trees, then a 4-lane artery, which was quite empty. A quick (and I mean quick) right and we stopped. The Bone Church was dead (snicker) ahead.

The Bone Church, its formal name the Sedlec Ossuary, is gothic architectural oddity, subset creep factor, of the impressive kind. Make no bones about it (can’t.help.it), this tourist attraction gets about a quarter of a million visitors each year. It all started in the 13th century when this became the place to be buried. Pretty soon it was overflowing because of Black Plague victims and war dead. Within 200 years there were between 50,000 and 70,000 buried here.

Wandering about the cemetery grounds, we noticed there were impressive contemporary gravesites, well-tended and decorated. Evidently, this is still a cool place to be buried if you’re a rich Bohemian. I began to notice little details that appeared a bit cheeky, considering this was a church yard. The line between afterlives appeared to be blurry in this place.

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Rather Arc de Triomphe-like, no?
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Look who’s nestling against the gateway

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Rint’s insignia in bones

The energy was calm and respectfully quiet as we entered the church. Visitors descend stone steps into the ossuary, where Frantiลกek Rint was hired in 1870. His job was to organize the bones. The result was a one-of-a-kind artisanal gift that strangely pays tribute to the tens of thousands from whose earthly remains it is comprised. The typical gothic archways and stone details are softened by embellishments constructed of bones. Thousands of bones, so many thousands that it was hard to fathom.

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The descent
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Architectural detailing in bones

Displays are grouped and sorted.

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Beyond in bones

It felt as though at first, Rint and his helpers went about their work with a methodical, organized approach. But it became evident that the bones suggested artistic expression, particularly those that were not in uniform condition. And so, shapes and constructed elements took form.

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Coat of arms
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Coat of Arms Detail

It all began to feel oppressive. I didn’t want it to crescendo into a phobic response on my part. How unfathomable to imagine being in this place, day after day, handling, stacking, sorting, putting these bones into displays, creating beauty out of chaos and horror. I climbed the stairs and gulped outside air.

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Christian symbology
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Obelisk tower

The day was somber as we piled into a van serving as visitor taxi to the other side of town, where the Cathedral of St. Barbara, the patron saint of miners, awaited. From bones under ground to a masterpiece devoted to the protector of those who worked underground, I thought. Bohemia is about the blend of aristocratic and common elements, the rise and fall of Celt, Slavic and Magyar dynasties, and the juxtaposition of ancient mysticism with Christian dogma. Somehow it all works. We walked around the exterior of the church, whose design and completion had spanned over four centuries. Grand plans from the heydey of the silver boom had given way to a more modest execution wrapping up at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries.

2014 01 30 14.02.32
Cathedral of St. Barbara
2014 01 30 14.19.51
Gothic arch exterior framework

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Gargoyles and spires
2014 01 30 14.19.43
Initial interior width scaled back

When we got inside, it seemed even colder. It was then that I recognized design elements that we had seen in the Bone Church. Is it just me? See what you think:

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We were so cold in there, and starved, too, to the point of distraction. The only thing that was keeping me going was the promise of a hot meal. And a drink, I needed a drink. We exited the church and headed toward the center of town on what might have been a very pleasant walk if it hadn’t been freezing. There’s the Kutna Hora version of the Charles Bridge and the Italian Court, which are lovely, but by then we were scarcely paying attention.

Finally, hurrying through a warren of narrow streets, we arrived at Pivnice Dacicky. The restaurant is named for Nicholas Dacicky, a 16th century Czech writer and nobleman who, legend has it, spent most of his time in taverns next to a cup of wine. This was going to be just perfect. It was a lovely old place, a warren of rooms really, graced with fresco and painted details, filled with long tables of boisterous locals. Even so, the festive Puss n’ Boots-like quality in the picture was balanced by the threat of ghoulish and sinister elements. That’s how the place felt, and the undercurrent worked for me. I felt as though I wanted to keep whatever things were outside at bay in this warm, and a bit fuzzy, room. Shivering from a cold blast every time the door opened behind us, we re-wrapped and blew on our fingers. The Australian girl looked at my husband in wonderment upon receipt of one of our handwarmers. “Squeeze this.”

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Pivnice Dacicky

Pivnice Dacicky serves the kind of food that my dad would have said – wait for it, seriously – sticks to your bones. The menu referenced death throughout: Drowned Man’s Salad, Poacher’s Sausage, a widow’s Pickled Cheese. The devil was literally in a lot of the details: sauce and toast were named after him. Goulash Soup served in a bread bowl was the choice of several in our group. We went straight for the dumplings. These Bohemian dumplings are like no others, bigger than life, chock full of lard and bread with herbed flavors. I had the fairytale-named Wild Boar Goulash with Gingerbread Dumplings; they were like fruitcake. It was less than ten bucks.

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Gingerbread dumplings and wild boar goulash

 

Pete must have had the Fiery Dacicky goulash with the more traditional loaded bread dumplings. I seem to recall he was impressed by the red pepper:

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Fiery Dacicky goulash with dumplings

The restaurant makes a big deal out of its mulled wine and mead. I tried the mulled wine and it took the edge off. Pete was contented with the wide variety of local beers from which to choose. Our guide, Martin, loaded his skinny young frame with carbs and fat. Check out the rest of the menu here.

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Carb and fat loading
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Hot mulled wine

2014-01-30 13.45.53This stop was a great way to unwind from the intensity of the experience, both at the ossuary and the cathedral. We’d received a mini-refresher in identifying architectural motifs and symbology, yes. But there was dealing with the energy of souls, or perhaps even a formal portal to what lies beyond. Even though I’d descended into a sort of secretive hysteria at times given the macabre atmosphere with its sense of foreboding, I’d managed to keep it outwardly together throughout the day. It felt good to rest these weary old. . . yup, pathetic.

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Heyyyyy


Tips: We did the Sandeman’s tour. You’ll pay for your own lunch at Pivnice Dacicky, but train tickets are included in the tour price, which was about 30Euro at the time we took it. It’s a lot of walking, be ready for the weather (it was bone-chilling, sorry couldn’t resist, when we were there in January). The Sedlec side of Kutna Hora is home to a Phillip Morris factory and headquarters. Passing this on foot on our way to the Ossuary from the train station (see map), our group was bothered to various individual degrees by the stale odor of tobacco which lingered over the neighborhood. This just added another layer of sickening to the experience. It wasn’t dreadful, but it wasn’t subtle, either. If you’re getting there on your own, you can also choose to take a bus (just under two hours) to Kutna Hora from Prague. We returned by train with our group. While we felt rushed at times, there was a lot to cover. Our guide’s educational background in architecture enhanced our appreciation – it was he who pointed out this saint up in the eaves, seemingly giving us the finger.

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Filed Under: Czech Republic, Europe, Travel

Comments

  1. www.travelwithkevinandruth.com says

    July 28, 2014 at 4:24 am

    Glad that you made it out of Prague. We spent four or five days in Kutna Hora and loved it. It is a shame that you didn’t have more time as there was so much more to see.

    Ruth

    Reply
    • Betsy Wuebker says

      July 28, 2014 at 6:00 am

      Aloha Kevin and Ruth – agreed. We loved Prague and only had four days there on this trip. Kutna Hora felt like a place in which we could easily linger for weeks.

      Reply
  2. jane canapini says

    July 28, 2014 at 4:14 am

    Okay, so on the Olympic figure skating rating system, I have to give the Bone Sculptures a 5.1 for technical achievement, and definitely a 5.4 for artistic impression.
    Very cool subject!

    Reply
    • Betsy Wuebker says

      July 28, 2014 at 6:02 am

      Aloha Jane, I can see you holding up the cards! A one of a kind artistic accomplishment, to be sure.

      Reply
  3. noel says

    July 28, 2014 at 4:57 am

    What a fascinating place to visit, I’ve heard so much about this place, will have to put it on my list of places to visit while in Prague vicinity. The food part looks yummy to!

    Reply
    • Betsy Wuebker says

      July 28, 2014 at 5:57 am

      Aloha Noel – definitely a must. Your photography skills would be a great match for this town.

      Reply
  4. Jan Ross says

    July 28, 2014 at 4:44 am

    Beautiful – and creepy!

    Reply
    • Betsy Wuebker says

      July 28, 2014 at 5:58 am

      Aloha Jan – yes, a memorable combination!

      Reply
  5. Michele Peterson says

    July 28, 2014 at 10:16 am

    That truly is a macabre place — I’d have had nightmares afterward for sure, imagining the 70,000 bodies around me!

    Reply
    • Betsy Wuebker says

      July 28, 2014 at 11:21 am

      Aloha Michele – I thought I might have a nightmare, too. Surprisingly, though, the energy didn’t feel malevolent, so I knew the creep factor originated within my thoughts more than anything. ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  6. Cathy Sweeney says

    July 28, 2014 at 12:38 pm

    I wouldn’t be able to pass up the bones jokes either…. probably not a bad idea to lighten the mood a bit. I wanted to visit Kutna Hora when I was in Prague last December, but we just couldn’t make it happen. It’s amazing what Frantiลกek Rint was able to create. I’m sure he worked his fingers to the bones. ๐Ÿ™‚ Creepy or not, I’d love to visit. Following up with goulash and wine is a good idea.

    Reply
    • Betsy Wuebker says

      July 28, 2014 at 4:06 pm

      Aloha Cathy – LOL you’re doing it, too! It’s creepy but not ghastly, so there’s no reason not to go unless you’re extremely squeamish. ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  7. Donna Janke says

    July 28, 2014 at 10:22 am

    What a fascinating (and a little bit creepy) place to visit. I’ll add Kutna Hora to my growing list of places to see.

    Reply
    • Betsy Wuebker says

      July 28, 2014 at 11:25 am

      Aloha Donna – it’s a lovely city with lots of atmosphere and history. You’ll enjoy it. ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  8. Neva @ Retire for the Fun of it says

    July 28, 2014 at 10:55 am

    Not a place to leisurely enjoy on a cold wintery day. I love history, but those are an awful lot of bones to see and yet be amazed by. I will put this place on my list of summer visits – I hope this wasn’t their hottest day.

    Reply
    • Betsy Wuebker says

      July 28, 2014 at 11:19 am

      Aloha Neva – You won’t regret the visit. ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  9. Shelley says

    July 28, 2014 at 11:18 am

    Fascinating even though a bit creepy. I haven’t heard about Kutna Hora but will put it on our list whenever we are able to visit Prague. The food looks yummy, especially for a cold winter day.

    Reply
    • Betsy Wuebker says

      July 28, 2014 at 11:27 am

      Aloha Shelley – I was looking at the Trip Advisor reviews for the restaurant, and I thought I recognized one from our Australian companion on the tour who rated it best food ever. It was absolutely delicious, our need for sustenance aside. ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  10. Irene S. Levine says

    July 28, 2014 at 5:16 pm

    Wow! Never heard of Kutna Hora but hope I get to Prague to see it!

    Reply
    • Betsy Wuebker says

      July 29, 2014 at 7:39 am

      Aloha Irene – it is a charming, fascinating city. Hope you make time for it when you’re in the region. ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  11. Suzanne Fluhr says

    July 28, 2014 at 1:31 pm

    Apparently, what with the Plague and all, other parts of Europe were also experiencing a surfeit of human bones. We visited a bone church in ร‰vora, Portugal, but the one you visited in Kuna Hora seems much grander—sort of the difference between a church and a cathedral. At least we got to leave the church and walk out into brilliant warm sunshine, not the bone – chilling (oh yes she did) cold you encountered in Eastern Europe in January.

    Reply
    • Betsy Wuebker says

      July 28, 2014 at 4:04 pm

      Aloha Suzanne – You’re right about the Plague being the source of the bones. It’s why the catacombs under Paris are filled with them, too. LOL on bone chilling cold. I don’t think the people mind us whistling in the dark.

      Reply
  12. Linda ~ Journey Jottings says

    July 29, 2014 at 2:31 am

    Gosh – I went through a variety of emotions reading this post from marvelling at the artistic renditions made of human bones to horror at the thought of all those souls being piled up and arranged so fancifully ๐Ÿ™
    The energy must have been quite epic?
    I’m surprised at my reaction – But I’m not too sure that I’d want to go to be honest, as even from your photos it felt… too powerful!

    Reply
    • Betsy Wuebker says

      July 29, 2014 at 7:43 am

      Aloha Linda – I think a mixed reaction like yours is the norm. The energy for me ranged from quietly present to heavy and dull, not overly sad, and not malevolent in any way. The creep factor was the quantity of bones for me. It was hard to imagine the sheer numbers. I felt as though their souls had for the most part moved on.

      Reply
  13. Kristin Henning says

    July 29, 2014 at 5:52 am

    We, too, had only a day in Kutna Hora, but really enjoyed it, even without the scenic snow you captured.

    Reply
    • Betsy Wuebker says

      July 29, 2014 at 7:44 am

      Aloha Kristin – Thanks. It was a raw day, but beautiful in its own way. Photos kind of take themselves in these situations. ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  14. Anne says

    July 29, 2014 at 7:07 am

    Good write-up of the tour – enjoyed reading this. We include a day here on our Music and Markets Prague trip and the “bone church” always gets mixed reviews. Like you, everyone prefers the beautiful town of Kutna Hora!

    Reply
    • Betsy Wuebker says

      July 29, 2014 at 7:46 am

      Aloha Anne – Thank you so much. It means a lot coming from someone who has visited frequently. ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  15. Marilyn Jones says

    July 29, 2014 at 7:33 pm

    Your entire article was interesting, but those bones; mercy. I have never seen anything like that!!

    Reply
    • Betsy Wuebker says

      July 29, 2014 at 7:54 pm

      Aloha Marilyn – I’d never seen anything like it either! ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  16. Nancy Thompson says

    July 30, 2014 at 5:54 am

    Creepy in a kind of beautiful and compelling way. Your gallows humor was dead on. ๐Ÿ™‚
    Thanks for sharing this most intriguing site. Looks like I have to add another stop on the world tour.

    Reply
    • Betsy Wuebker says

      July 30, 2014 at 6:20 am

      Aloha Nancy – LOL just sick. Love it!

      Reply
  17. Carole Terwilliger Meyers says

    July 30, 2014 at 12:44 pm

    I want to visit when I finally make it to Prague. I would mostly like to try the Wild Boar Goulash with Gingerbread Dumplings.

    Reply
    • Betsy Wuebker says

      July 30, 2014 at 7:30 pm

      Aloha Carole – Those dumplings were amazing. It really was a unique blend of flavors. ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  18. Michelle says

    August 1, 2014 at 8:15 am

    Your photos are fabulous and I see you visited in the winter? I want to visit Europe in the winter to avoid the many tourists that are there in the summer. Looks like Kutna Hora is a fabulous day trip!

    Reply
    • Betsy Wuebker says

      August 1, 2014 at 10:18 am

      Aloha Michelle – Thank you! Yes, we visited in January. Highly recommend for easy access to everything. A bit chilly, but that’s to be expected, right? ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  19. The GypsyNesters says

    August 1, 2014 at 3:09 pm

    Isn’t the bone church a trip? Seriously, we couldn’t wrap our heads around the reasoning behind it. That being said, it’s a must see – for sure. As is all of Kutna Hora. Thanks for sharing your hysterical insights!

    Reply
    • Betsy Wuebker says

      August 1, 2014 at 4:17 pm

      Aloha Veronica – And now, of course, a fairly regular neighborhood has grown up around it. It’s hard to imagine. “Oh ya, there’s 70,000 people’s bones made into decorations a half a block from my house. No biggie.”

      Reply
  20. The Gypsynesters says

    August 1, 2014 at 3:35 pm

    Wow, it’s like we took the same trip, food and all! One of the strangest places ever, right?

    Reply
    • Betsy Wuebker says

      August 1, 2014 at 4:18 pm

      Sandeman’s, right? I’m sure these guys all work together. I thought they did a nice job with every aspect.

      Reply
  21. A Cook Not Mad (Nat) says

    August 1, 2014 at 10:05 pm

    I will definitely be putting Kutna Hora on our list of places to visit when we go to Prague. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Betsy Wuebker says

      August 2, 2014 at 10:18 am

      Aloha Nat – You’ll not regret it! ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply

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Hi, I’m Betsy. I traveled the world full time for close to four years and have visited more than 50 countries. If you’re a curious and thoughtful traveler, you’re in the right place. No matter if you’re new to travel or an old hand, I can help you refine your bucket list!

Here’s to a happier, travel-centered life!

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