With a full week to spend in Prague, I had plenty of time for a day trip to see more of the Czech Republic. My destination of choice was the Kutna Hora Bone Church, an unusual attraction famous for its skeletal decorations. Creepy as it might sound, I found the macabre display to be surprisingly beautiful. Make no bones about it, this is a place well worth visiting!
The Sedlec Ossuary, or Church of Bones, is a small chapel that has been bedecked with bones from over 40,000 skeletons – mostly 14th and 15th century victims of plague and war. The bones have been artistically incorporated into the chapel’s decor, with the centerpiece being a large chandelier which reportedly contains at least one of every kind of human bone, from the cranium to the little toe. Skeletal garlands are draped across the ceiling and accented with pelvic bone-and-skull “flowers.” I was also impressed with the intricately gruesome coat of arms of the Schwarzenberg family which commissioned the project.
Equally impressive is the Church of St. Barbara, Kutna Hora’s answer to Prague’s St. Vitus Cathedral and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The church boasts a soaring vaulted ceiling, vibrant stained-glass windows and 15th-century murals depicting local life at the time of painting.
The Church of St. Barbara is located on the far side of town, across a smaller and much less crowded version of the Charles Bridge. From here you can also enjoy sweeping views of Kutna Hora and the surrounding valley.
I enjoyed a simple but tasty lunch at a small restaurant near the church before ambling through the charming city center. I wish I’d had a bit more time to take in some of the other sights, such as the Czech Silver Museum and medieval mine shafts. Back in the 14th century, Kutna Hora was a prosperous mining town until the silver veins ran out. Today, it’s just a well-preserved slice of history with few tourists and ample charm to spare.
You can find the latest schedule and ticket prices for the Prague to Kutna Hora train here. While Sedlec Ossuary is within walking distance of the station, the city center is a few kilometers away and best reached via bus.
Would you like to visit the Kutna Hora Bone Church?
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That is quite creepy, you’re right, but I still find it quite an interesting site to visit.
It reminds me of when in Naples we went to see the “Fontanelle Cemetery” which is more like a place where bones and skulls were collected in old times. Despite being a creepy place, it was incredibly interesting to learn about its history and what happened years ago.
Aren’t places like this so interesting? I can’t imagine what it was like for the communities that suffered through the plague, it must have seemed like the end of the world. And yet, from that suffering, we get this beautiful work of art. This world fascinates me.
Kutna Hora is so morbidly fantastic! When my friend and I were backpacking through Europe back in 2005, we spent three days in Prague, but by the end of the second day had seen all the major sites that we had planned to see and weren’t sure what to do on our final day. A girl at our hostel invited us along with her to go visit “some bone church” and we figured we had nothing better to do so agreed to tag along. She wound up bailing on us, but we decided to go ahead and take the train out to Kutna Hora and I’m so glad we did. I remember just being completely bowled over by the creative (and oddly beautiful) ways they used the bones—rather a lovely tribute to all those plague victims. I’m glad to see that years later it still has retained its charm and isn’t overrun with tourists!
My thoughts exactly, Steph. I found the place oddly poetic. Those people probably experienced a very gruesome, horrible end and there is something very moving about their remains being used as art. I wanted to visit Kutna Hora on my first trip to Prague back in 2010, but I was with my mom and she was aghast at the thought of the bones. I’m very interested to see what she thinks after reading this post! 🙂
The town itself looks simply charming and the Church of St. Barbara is beautiful, but I’m still glad I didn’t see the church of bones. We went in one in Portugal and that was enough for me. The view from the bridge is breathtaking!
You’re missing out!
Creepy and beautiful at the same time! I’ve never considered visiting Kutna Hora before, even though I’ve been to Czech Republic multiple times over the last few years. Now that I’m living in Berlin (just 4 hours from Prague), there’s not much excuse anymore is there?!
I think the town is definitely worth a visit! It might not be as classically beautiful as Cesky Krumlov, but the interesting history more than makes up for that!
I love exploring churches like this one – so mysterious and extremely odd! How much time would you recommend me to stay there?
The church isn’t very big, so 30 minutes is probably enough for most people. We were there a little longer because it was just so fascinating!
Quite a change up from the temples of Shanghai! I only had a day to spend in the Czech Republic so I didn’t get to see Kutna Hora, but man is it ever creepy/cool.
I thought the Jade Buddha Temple was pretty cool, but the others certainly lacked charm. How were the temples in Taiwan?
The temples in Taiwan were waay better! Every neighborhood had its own temple and they felt like they were a part of the community. Like they hadn’t, ermm, been sanitized during a certain segment of time.
Very delicately put 🙂
Hehe, gotta be careful. Especially with the news that even more hardcore internet crackdowns are coming soon. Baaa, I just want to blog and put photos on Instagram. 🙁
I heard that news and would be super frustrated if I were still there. Here’s hoping it doesn’t come to pass.
Super frustrating, considering how my job and leisure time both heavily rely on VPNs. *Tears*
Oh that is super creepy! But very unique, and makes for some fantastic photos!;-) I would say the creepiest place I’ve ever been was in the tunnel of hope outside sarajevo, bosnia, where people snuck in supplies and snuck out humans during the war. Walking through the super claustrophobic tunnel made of mud gave me goosebumps, it still felt very recent and real, if that makes sense!
That makes total sense, Jess. I felt the same way when I visited the KGB House Museum here in Riga. Ever since I saw the box where people could anonymously turn in people for “crimes” against the state, I can’t help but wonder about it when I pass by older people in the street. I actually talked to a person today whose Latvian grandparents fled to Sweden in the middle of the night with their three small children. Such a sad and scary time in history.
Definitely very creepy, but surprisingly very beautiful too! Not sure how I’d feel about my bones being used for decoration after I died, though I guess it is probably better than rotting under the ground!
LOL, yeah, I think I’d rather be art 😉
Living so close the Czech Republic, you would think I would have gone here already, but no! I’ve got to get there soon.
Yes, you definitely should Corinne. It makes a great day trip!
Hi Heather,
This something different and new for me to discover and indeed creepy as it sounds “a church of bones” but truly impressive to visit Kutna Hora with all the historical churches and building, i wish that someday I can have my vacation trip there. Thank you for sharing your experiences here.
Thanks! I hope you get to visit there someday 🙂