A town with an interesting name, Kutna Hora is a true treasure of the Czech Republic. This was an ultimately famous settlement in the past, and there is a reason for that – the lands of Kutna Hora were rich in silver. Even though mining in this Czech town has stopped a long time ago, the settlement still attracts many tourists. Visitors from all over the world arrive in this charming and tranquil Czech town to make themselves familiar with the rich culture of this region.
The name Kutna Hora means “the mountain of the old monk’s cowl”. According to a legend, a local monk once decided to sleep on a hill. He saw silver bullion bars in a dream. When the monk woke up, he found exactly the same silver bars in a place that he saw in his dream. To save the treasure from outsiders, the man covered the silver with his cowl. The news about the large deposits of silver spread quickly, and soon the first mines appeared in the region. Dwellings, taverns, and baths were built near the mines. A true “silver fever” started in Europe.
Would you like to test your nervous system? There is an interesting historical landmark that still leaves people thrilled. Sensitive people are better to refrain from visiting this place. Despite this warning, many tourists visit this landmark as soon as they reach Kutna Hora. At a glance, the famous landmark is nothing but an ordinary-looking chapel. However, step inside and you will immediately understand why so many locals are afraid of this place. Almost all elements in the church are made from human bones. The official name of the church is the Sedlec Ossuary, but many call it Kostnice (Bone Church).
The “material” for the church’s décor was delivered from the town’s cemetery. In 1278, an abbot from the local monastery brought “holy soil” from Jerusalem. He put the soil in the burial ground. As the burial site became “holy” after that, many people from Bohemia and other countries wanted to be buried there. Eventually, the number of tombs was so big that the burial ground became full. After that, it was decided to unearth old coffins to free space for new tombs. Parts of skeletons were moved to the local chapel. When the chapel was rebuilt, these bones were used to decorate it. The chandelier made from human skulls and bone garlands look really creepy.
Saint Barbara's Church is a beautiful gothic building that remains one of the main symbols of Kutna Hora. Local people built this gorgeous cathedral – they donated their own money to fund the construction works. The first stone of the future church was laid at the end of the 80s in the 14th century. At that time, Saint Barbara's Church was a symbol of protest of the town’s population against the ruling Sedlec monastery. The initial purpose was to build the most beautiful building in Bohemia, but the Hussite War paused the construction process. When Kutna Hora stopped being the center of silver mining, there was not enough money to finish the church.
The church was more or less finished only at the end of the 40s of the 16th century. The building was opened and named Saint Barbara's Church during a festive ceremony. This Roman Catholic church has many interesting elements of décor, for example, the images of different animals, including monkeys, sheep, merry frogs, as well as mythical animals such as harpies and demons. Saint Barbara's Church is open for visitors and regularly offers the divine service.
The former “silver” town surely has a landmark that reminds of the great past of this region. For this purpose, a museum dedicated to this precious metal was established in Kutna Hora. The Czech Museum of Silver in Kutna Hora is open in the old Hradek Castle. This is one of the richest cultural venues in the Czech Republic, the collection of which features one hundred and seventy thousand items including coins and promissory notes adopted in the country in the past. There is an interesting exhibition of different ores, colorful minerals, and various subsurface rocks. Besides the museum exhibition, there is an opportunity to explore the old silver mine. Visitors can put on an old mining outfit and feel how hard miners had to work back in the days.
It is easy to get to Kutna Hora from the capital of the Czech Republic. There are daily trains to this town, so you can reach the “silver” settlement in just one hour. Besides trains, some buses connect the “Czech treasury” to the capital. This direction is popular, so there is no problem with finding a suitable bus. You will reach Kutna Hora in one hour and forty minutes.
