The historical town centre, the Cathedral of St Barbora and the Cathedral of the Assumption in nearby Sedlec – these are the sites which UNESCO decided to include in its list of world cultural heritage sites in 1995 in the town of Kutná Hora. Kutná Hora is a medieval royal town which can thank the nearby silver mines for its erstwhile prosperity and grandeur. The high Gothic Cathedral of St Barbora is one of the finest examples of late medieval architecture in the country, as are the Gothic Cistercian chapel in Sedlec, given a makeover in the 18th century by Jan Blažej Santini.
The history of Kutná Hora is closely linked with silver mining. The local mines, which gave unusually high yields, became one of the main sources of silver in medieval Europe. At the end of the 13th century Kutná Hora was providing around a third of all silver in Europe. The town was the main centre for the production of the so-called Prague groschen, one of medieval Europe’s strongest currencies. Thanks to its wealth, Kutná Hora became the second most important town in the Czech kingdom. It competed with Prague in economic and political terns as well as in culture. At the turn of the 14th century Wenceslas IV established a royal residence in the town.
The Gothic Church of St James (1330) and the Cathedral of St Barbora (1388), the patron saint of miners, are two of the town’s most important pieces of architecture. The Cathedral of St Barbora is one of the finest examples of high and late Gothic architecture in the Czech lands. Inside, a unique gallery of late Gothic and Renaissance paintings, dating from the 15th century, has survived. The cathedral, founded in 1388, was for the most part funded by the miners. Building work on the cathedral, which according to several sources was meant to be twice as long as the building we see today, was carried out in several stages. To a large extent these corresponded to the fluctuating fortunes of the local silver mines. The work was interrupted several times due to various events, and 500 years passed from its foundation to its completion in 1905. Kutná Hora always tried to compete with Prague, and architects and builders from Prague were brought in to work on the cathedral. The first architect was Jan Parlér, the son of Petr Parlér who began the Cathedral of St Vitus at Prague Castle. The similarity between the two cathedrals can, therefore, come as no surprise. The oldest section with its line of side chapels resembles the layout of French cathedrals. The Cathedral of St Barbora could serve as a kind of textbook of Gothic architecture in Bohemia.
Another fine building in Kutná Hora is the former mint at the Italian Court a complex of buildings from the 13th and 14th centuries. From the early 15th century it also served as a temporary royal residence. King Wenceslas IV very often stayed here, and in 1400 he had two more floors and a chapel added and made the mint into a royal palace. For centuries the Italian Court was the economic heart of the Czech state. The Prague groschen were struck here, a currency used across central Europe and one of the most important in Europe at the time.
Another place worthy of mention is the All Saints Chapel in nearby Sedlec, which houses the bizarre ossuary. The interior is decorated with human bones. In 1142 a Cistercian monastery was established in Sedlec, the first in the Czech lands. The monastery includes the Gothic Cathedral of the Assumption dating from the turn of the 13th century.
Kutná Hora is one of the most historically significant towns in the Czech Republic. Kutná Hora’s architectural heritage dates from various periods and together with several municipal parks and its picturesque streets leaves an unforgettable impression on all who visit. It is a place where Baroque combines with Gothic to create a unique atmosphere.
Kutná Hora is situated 60km east of Prague.