Yes, this odd sight is explainable!During our time in the Czech Republic, we took a day trip from Prague to the small, quaint town of Kutná Hora which packed in the landmarks for such an unassuming place!
Bone Chapel
Don't judge a chapel by its cloisters!
Don't judge a chapel by its cloisters!At the top of the sight-seeing list (and the main reason for visiting the town) was the Sedlec Ossuary, or more simply put, the Bone Chapel! The chapel and surrounding cemetery date back to the 1300s, but the redecorated interior of bones was added in the 1700s. According to the city's website,
Remarkable masterpieces include a massive chandelier, a cross, chalices, a monstrance or Schwarzenberg coat-of-arms. According to estimates, bones of approximately 40,000 people were used to decorate the chapel, creating this unique ossuary – a reminder of the transience of human life and the inevitability of death.
The IHS monogram of the name of Jesus name
One of several bone chalices
The Schwarzenberg coat-of-arms
Chapel arches were tastefully done in skull-and-bones style
A close-up of one of the many free-standing stacks of bones
This chandelier is said to contain every bone in the human body -- and then some!
The chandelier was above several angel-topped skulled columnsCathedral of St. Barbara
This cathedral was one of the most amazing structures we saw while in Europe!
This cathedral was one of the most amazing structures we saw while in Europe!
The cathedral was designed by Peter Parler, the same man who designed the famous St. Vitus' Cathedral in Prague on the banks of the Vltava River. The Cathedral of St. Barbara was constructed extremely quickly -- 150 years -- in comparison to St. Vitus (900+ years). It is the Cathedral of St. Barbara, the patron saint of miners since the city was originally founded and flourished with its silver mines. The stone used was also from the mines, and the stained glass art depicts hard labor and mining scenes. There is even a Miners' Chapel.
Frankly we were more impressed by this cathedral than St. Vitus in Prague due to its massive size, plethora of gothic spires, and the view cleanly competed with the city of Prague, as it looked out over the city of Kutná Hora and surrounding lush valley.
Does this look familiar? It should! The same famous Bohemian architect, Peter Parler, designed the cathedral and the statue-laden path on the way to the church, much like his design of St. Charles' bridge on the way to St. Vitus' Cathedral in Prague.
A side view of St. Barbara with the spires in all their gothic glory
The equally impressive back of the cathedral, which houses the nave
A view of Kutná Hora from the cathedral, including the view on another church in town
Plague Column
Stone Fountain
Frankly we were more impressed by this cathedral than St. Vitus in Prague due to its massive size, plethora of gothic spires, and the view cleanly competed with the city of Prague, as it looked out over the city of Kutná Hora and surrounding lush valley.
Does this look familiar? It should! The same famous Bohemian architect, Peter Parler, designed the cathedral and the statue-laden path on the way to the church, much like his design of St. Charles' bridge on the way to St. Vitus' Cathedral in Prague.
A side view of St. Barbara with the spires in all their gothic glory
The equally impressive back of the cathedral, which houses the nave
A view of Kutná Hora from the cathedral, including the view on another church in townPlague Column
According to the city's website, the Plague Column is the "Baroque Jewel" of Kutná Hora.
Click on the image for a better look at this Baroque jewelThe Plague Column was created between 1713 and 1715 as a reaction to plague epidemic that struck Kutná Hora in 1713 and left thousands of victims behind.
Stone Fountain
According to the city's website,
The Stone Fountain was the town's burghers’ wordless tribute to water. That is to say water was always lacking in Kutná Hora, therefore bringing a rich spring through a system of wooden pipes right into the heart of the town was a creditable effort. The Stone Fountain was built in 1495. This polygonal structure that was originally decorated by a number of statues stands at a beautiful location on a small square surrounded by a splendid complex of burgher houses.
All in all, our impression of Kutná Hora was a small town that packed a big punch! We would have been satisfied with just the Bone Chapel, but we were pleasantly surprised with all the other sights that awaited us. This is not a city to miss!
