Kutná Hora’s History
Kutná Hora’s mines turned out to be particularly abundant when it came to the precious metal (at one time its silver mines were the largest in Europe), and so King Wenceslas II, wondering what to do with all that silver his subjects were mining, promptly summoned some Florentine financial experts to the Czech lands and asked them. “Make money,” they replied, as in minted coins. Wenceslas established the town’s first mint in 1300.
The Euro of the Middle Ages
“Entry into the mine is not recommended for persons suffering from claustrophobia, epilepsy and poor health and is prohibited for women in advanced stages of pregnancy.”
Boom and Bust
Then, in the 16th century, the silver ran out and the town went bust.
What Makes Kutná Hora Unique?
Because there was nothing in Kutná Hora before the silver was discovered, its historic buildings and roads are relatively small compared to other Czech towns of its size. And because of the sudden and unusually large boom in wealth, its buildings are “fancier” than in other towns of its size. But the buildings are also “fancier” than other buildings of their size in other towns.
So there’s a particular incongruence to the look of Kutná Hora that you won’t find elsewhere: Buildings that are too small for how fancy and decorative they are, and streets that are too small for how fancy the buildings are.
"New Rich" fancy?
By the same token, other Czech towns of a similar size to Kutná Hora that grew organically from their village origins but that had average – rather than exceptional – wealth, will have buildings that are actually bigger than Kutná Hora’s but that at the same time are much plainer.
Kutná Hora Went Broke, but Not Baroque
Almost everywhere else in the current-day Czech Republic got bathed in Baroque architecture as part of the Counter-Reformation, but not Kutná Hora. There are only a couple of Baroque structures of significance here: The former Jesuit college now housing the GASK art gallery, and the Plague column on Šultysova Street. Visiting almost any destination in the Czech Republic means you’re going to be overwhelmed with an abundance of intense and at times over-the-top Baroque architecture, but Kutná Hora’s architecture is mostly Gothic and Renaissance.
St. Barbora
Initial work on the church was done by King Charles’ court architect Peter Parler and his sons, but successive court architects Mathias Rejsek and Benedikt Reid later took up the reins. Rejsek and Reid turned Barbora into an eye-poppingly unique example of the Gothic style – and the fact that it is located in such a small, sleepy town in the middle of the Czech Republic makes it stand out all the more. I am purposely NOT posting a picture of the entire exterior of the church, as I hope that (if you don’t peak at other sources) you will visit and get a special “wow” moment when you see it for the first time.
But the interior is also beautiful, as you can see below.
St. James
Note that James’ 270-foot tower leans slightly. Leaning buildings are another unique feature of Kutná Hora that is virtually absent elsewhere in the Czech Republic, as there are no fault lines here. But the settling of mines means that you can spot several examples in Kutná Hora.
Lunch Break
The Stone House and The Stone Fountain
Treasure in a Nearby Village
The Cistercians wanted their own French Gothic Cathedral, and the size of this building is hard to comprehend (the nave is three times taller than it is wide), and its presence in such a small municipality even harder. But it is perhaps the “Baroque Gothic” redo in the 18th century of the church’s interior by renowned master architect Jan Blažej Santini that is most impressive. Note how Santini’s ribbing in the nave builds on Reid’s handiwork in St. Barbora’s.
The Bone Church
The Plague came and filled the cemetery to the max, so it was decided that something had to be done. In the 16th century, a half-blind monk from the nearby Cistertian monastery was tasked with digging up the bodies, cleaning the bones and storing them in the Sedlec Ossuary (as it is officially known) located in the crypt of All Saints’ Chapel (note that it leans, too). Later, Santini worked his magic on the ossuary as well, and you’ll see his telltale signs in the ribs of the vaulting.
In the 19th century, a local woodworker was hired to arrange the bones into patterns, and the present-day interior was created. Here you’ll find bones of 40,000 people arranged into four Baroque “bells,” several chalices, a remarkably accurate replica of the Schwarzenberg family crest, and a chandelier that includes every bone of the human body at least once. The woodworker, František Rint, proudly signed his name in bones on the wall on the right just at the bottom of the stairs as you enter.
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