Kutna Hora – UNESCO Sight

Kutna Hora is a town located right in the middle of Czechia, in the Central Bohemia Region. It has a rich history connected mainly with silver mining. Kutna Hora almost replaced Prague, because in its best time it was the reachest city in the Czech Republic.  

Currently, this city is an important cultural and historical location and a very popular tourist destination. It’s an ideal spot for a day trip from the capital city.  

HISTORICAL CENTRE 

Kutná Hora, although small in area, offers a great number of historical and cultural sights, some of which are listed on the UNESCO Heritage List. It’s the city’s historical center, temple of St Barbora and the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary that are the most popular.  

TEMPLE OF SAINT BARBORA 

This unique construction of high and late Gothic architecture, founded in 1388, is included in the UNESCO list. It’s the second largest building of this kind in the Czech Republic. Its characteristic shape cannot be mistaken with any oter building in Czechia. It’s visible from different points around the city.  

OSSUARY SEDLEC 

More than 400 000 visitors come to see the world-famous ossuary in Sedlec, close to Kutna Hora. It’s the undergound chapel of the cemetery church of All Saints, which was originally part of the Cistercian abbey in Sedlec, founded in 1142 by Mr. Miroslav of Markvartice. The human bones you get to see are the remains of a total of 40,000 dead from plague epidemics and victims of the Hussite wars.  

It’s best to buy your ticket online and reserve your spot, especially if you plan your visit during the weekend. From some time taking pictures has been forbidden, so you won’t be able to share those memories with others. Theentrance ticket is 160 kc for an adult.  

HRADEK 

Gothic fortress converted into a palace at the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries. These days, you can find the Czech Silver Museum with a permanent exhibition and also the possibility of visiting medieval mines. 

VLASSKY DVUR  

This once royal palace, in which medieval Prague pennies were minted, was built in the 13th century and is one of the city’s greatest cultural and architectural gems. You can see two exhibitions here – the Royal Mint and the Royal Palace. 

STONE FOUNTAIN  

The beautiful and massive Gothic fountain in the middle of the small square: Rejsková náměstí is one of the symbols of Kutná Hora. Due to the disruption of the springs by mining activities, water had to be brought to the city from2,5 kilometers. The stone fountain served as a reservoir of rare drinking water until 1890.  

CHURCH OF SAINT JAKUB 

In the very center of the historic part of the city is this 85 m high church, which is the oldest sanctuary in the city. It serves as an important landmark and it is always about the same distance to other temples in the city. 

CITY VIEW 

There’re two spots you can visit to see the panorama of the city. The first one is so called Kralovska prochazka – upstream of the river Vrchlice. This hiking trail will give you wonderful views of the Temple of St. Barbory, Hrádek, Vlašský dvůr and the church of St. Jakub and other gems of Kutná Hora. The second one is the 30-meter high Kaňk lookout tower in the Kank forest. Here you can enjoy the view of the panorama of Kutná Hora from a distance.  

FESTIVALS 

Kutna Hora is also famous for celebrating good food and drink. Every year in May, a gastronomic festival takes place. You can taste the international cuisine, delicious sweets, try good Kutnohorsk beer and wine from several winemakers, and above all, check out local food.  

STAYING A NIGHT 

If you want to explore other sites nearby it might be a good idea to find an accommodation. The prices starts at around 50 Eur per night for two people. Places like Havirska Bouda offer quiet, surrounded by nature accomodation. On the other hand, situated in the heart of the city, Hotel Zlata Stoupa allows you to start your day early in the morning, when everyone else still sleeps.

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What’s more?

Kutna Hora with its location is really close-by Prague, Kolin or Pardubice. Within one hour you can also transfer to Vysocina Region to explore the rock formations, forest and hiking paths.