Kutná Hora and the Sedlec Ossuary

In the Middle Ages, Kutná Hora was the second most important town in Bohemia after Prague, and silver was the reason. Rich veins discovered in the thirteenth century made it the source of the Prague groschen, one of the strongest coins in Central Europe, minted here in the Italian Court, the royal mint and residence that still stands in the town centre. The wealth paid for one of the masterpieces of late Gothic architecture, the Cathedral of St. Barbara, dedicated to the patron saint of miners and begun in 1388. Its tent-like triple roof and flying buttresses rise above the valley, and inside, the vaults are a web of ribs and the side chapels are painted with frescoes of miners and minters at work. The town's other famous site is out in the suburb of Sedlec, about three kilometres away. In the thirteenth century an abbot is said to have brought back soil from Golgotha and scattered it over the cemetery, making it one of the most desired burial places in Central Europe; plague and war filled it, and when graves were cleared, the bones were stored in the chapel crypt. In 1870 a woodcarver, František Rint, was hired by the Schwarzenberg family to arrange them, and the result is the Sedlec Ossuary: the remains of tens of thousands of people formed into garlands, pyramids, a coat of arms and a chandelier said to contain every bone in the human body. Nearby, the Cathedral of the Assumption, part of the former Cistercian monastery, was restored in a striking Baroque-Gothic style. With St. Barbara's and the Sedlec cathedral, the historic centre was inscribed by UNESCO in 1995. The Tiqets tour linked here includes return transport from central Prague, a live guide and entry to St. Barbara's and the ossuary, with free time in the town.

The ossuary is the reason most people come, and it is genuinely extraordinary, but set expectations. It is a small, consecrated chapel, not a museum, and it is crowded in high season. Photography has been restricted in recent years out of respect for the dead, so check the current rules on arrival and be ready to put the phone away. The visit itself takes twenty to thirty minutes. What surprises many visitors is how beautiful the rest of Kutná Hora is: St. Barbara's is one of the great Gothic churches of Europe, the approach to it along a terrace lined with Baroque statues looks out over the valley, and the old town has quiet squares, a stone fountain, and the Italian Court's displays of medieval minting.

Going on a tour or independently: trains from Prague's main station reach Kutná Hora in about an hour, stopping at the main station close to Sedlec, from where a local train or a walk continues to the town centre. Doing it yourself is cheap and flexible, but the logistics between the stations and sites eat time. A guided tour handles the transport and the timed entries, and the guide brings the silver-mining story to life. The Tiqets tour leaves in the early afternoon from Na Příkopě in central Prague and lasts around six and a half hours, so you can spend the morning in the city first. Combined tickets for several monuments are sold on site if you go alone.

Practicalities: wear comfortable shoes, as the town is hilly and cobbled, and bring a layer for the cool churches. The ossuary is not suitable for very young or sensitive children; older children and teenagers often find it fascinating. If you have time, the Czech Silver Museum offers the chance to put on a miner's coat and helmet and walk through a medieval mine passage, which families enjoy. Kutná Hora is at its loveliest in spring and autumn; in summer, go early or late in the day.