Kutná Hora

A quaint little town nestled just on the outskirts of Prague in the Czech Republic is the town of Kutná Hora. Churches, steeples, vineyards and winding narrow cobblestoned streets makeup this enchanting gothic town. The most famous of the attractions is the famous Bone Church or "Sedlec Ossuary" located in the heart of town. But the biggest mistake travelers make in Kuntá Hora is not visiting the rest of the town and leaving right after seeing the bone Church. Take a day to explore the small streets of an authentic Czech town because you never know what you might come across.

Getting here from Prague

To get to Kuntá Hora from Prague is very easy. The trip is only an hour and a half away or a bit longer depending on the transport you choose.

By train: If you decide to use the train, your journey will last for about an hour. Starting at the main train station in Prague (Hlavní Nádraži) take the train that leaves every 2 hours in the morning until noon; every hour after three towards Kutná Hora. There is no need to buy your tickets in advanced because you can easily just buy them at the station when you arrive. The ticket will cost around 100 Kč or $5 for a one way ticket. The only thing about taking the train is that you have to take some other form of transportation to get to the city center, of simply walk, like I did. You can take the local bus #1 and #7 which takes you into town and leaves every 15 minutes from the train station.

If you have chosen to walk, the Bone Church is not that far away, maybe 20-30 minutes. There are signs all about town to help to find your way.

By bus: If you decide to take the bus, your journey to the town will be a bit longer but will be a bit cheaper. The bus leaves from the bus station at Háje every hour and costs 70 Kč or $3 one way. This journey last an hour and 45 minutes. This bus drops you off at the city center of Kutná Hora so you don't have to walk or take other transportation to get to the main attractions, unlike the train station.

The Bone Church

Also known as the Sedlec Ossuary, the Bone Church is Kutná Hora's main attraction. A small church filed with eccentric works of art created from human bones and skulls. A large chandelier, crowns, candelabras, cost of arms, and fringe decorations fill the rooms of this small church. An eerie presence of death looms over you when you enter this building. After all, you are surrounded by countless human remains. Built to symbolize inevitable death, this Bone Church is somewhat beautifully intriguing.

The address is:

Zamecká 127

Kutná Hora - Sedlec, 284 03

the website can provide you with further information on opening times.

ticket prices: 90 Kč or $4.

History of the Bone Church:

During the 13th Century, a monk returned from the holy land of Palestine to sprinkle dirt he had acquired there on these burial grounds that surrounded the church. Because of the holy prevelence, many citizens sought to be buried here. During war in the 17th century, the amount of bodies became too great to bury them in this tiny cemetery. Older bodies became exhumed from the dirt and stored inside the chapel. The myth is that a monk who was looking after the Ossuary went mad and began stacking the bones in geometrical shapes and figures because he was constantly surround by death.

Inspired by the careful bone placement that created a visually appealing aesthetic, the landowners hired an artist by the name of František Rint to make the remains into art. The works he has created are eerily beautiful with the chandelier being the crowning jewel. The works of art are made with about 40,000 - 70,000 human bones.

The graveyard:

Just outside the chapel is a graveyard with beautifully adorned graves and tombstones. Because of the holy relevance, people from all over Europe still request to be buried here. Because it is so small, the requests are often rejected. Many tourists are too eager to get inside the church and don't take the time to roam these burial grounds. I found it to be very peaceful to walk amongst these tombs to pay my respects.

Inside the Church:

Once you enter the church, you immediately are met with sculptures that hang over the staircase leading you into the other rooms. It's a bit of a shock first seeing all of the femurs and skulls used to make a wall decoration, but this is just the beginning. Down the small flight of stairs is a large stack of bones (mostly skulls) placed geometrically atop each other. How creepy is this:

Reaching the center of the church, four pillars stand in the middle of the room holding skulls atop them. And in the very center hangs the magnificent bone chandelier. I've never seen anything like this. Absolutely mesmerizing is this massive work of art made entirely of skulls and femurs. the chandelier has hanging leg bones and the connecting rows are made from skulls. It's hard not to enjoy this masterpiece. How long this must have taken to make.

Here are the pillars

There is another piece of art that is quite interesting, a coat of arms made from bones hangs on one of the walls.

The area is dimly lit and there is a section of the church to place offering and light a candle in remembrance of the resting souls who reside here.

If you are easily skittish or sensitive, I recommend preparing yourself for an emotional experience. Being surrounded by human remains can feel overwhelming if this is something you aren't sure you can handle. If you have a strong stomach and you enjoy twisted things such as this, then enjoy the art and beauty of the significance.. "Death is Inevitable".

St. Barbra Church

In the heart of Kutná Hora is the fantastically multi tiered gothic cathedral of St. Barbra. This church sits on the edge of the cliff that overlooks the lower level of the town as well as the river that runs through it. Pointed spires and patterned crenelated buttresses decorate the stone structure. Both sides of the building are perfectly symmetrical and the amount of detail going into each spire is astonishing.

The best part of visiting this church is the vineyard on the left side of the church walls. Rows of grape vines line the cliff edge and there is a beautiful little garden with benches inside of it where you can relax, drink wine, and look over Kutná Hora.

The Town

The town of Kutná Hora is a peacful and quaint place. Narrow rows of cobblestoned streets and old fashioned metal lamps sit amongst colorful buildings covered with a green bouquet of vines.

It's fun to get lost in these winding streets that'll take you through the maze of a town.

If you ever find yourself in Prague and you want a great day adventure to visit an enchanting little Czech town and a creepy Bone Church, take a day trip to Kutná Hora. There will be less crowds, many picture taking opportunities, and wine stops overlooking the valley.