KUTNÁ HORA
Once the most important town in the Czech kingdom after Prague. You will find there houses,
churches and other constructions founded in the Gotic and Late- Gotic periods, as well as
buildings from the Renaissance, Baroque and Empire periods.It was declared a protected
urban reservation in 1961.
History:
1) A NEOLITIC VILLAGE of the first farmers (about 5500 – 4500 B.C) – The evidence
of ancient settlement - Bylany
2) In the 10th century the SLAVNÍK FAMILY minted silver coins in Malín.
3) In 1142 a CISTERCIAN MONASTERY was built near an important trade route. A
legend from the15th century says that it was a Sedlec monk who first found silver.
4) Rich deposits of silver were found on the territory in the second half of the
13thcentury.The resulting large mining settlement became the core of the future town
It was necessary to set some rules and regulations for the activities connected with
mining and minting. That is why King Wenceslas II announced CODES FOR
MINING ANA MINTING IN 1300 (Jus Regale Montanorum). New means of
payment PRAGUE GROSHEN started to be minted For a long time KH was a
privileged royal town, wooden walls were built in 1304 and KH finally became a town
in 1307.
5) The mine reached its height in the 14th century. The construction of ST. JACOB¨S
(1330 – 1380) and ST. BARBARA¨S CATHEDRAL (1388) started. The Czech
monarch was the welthiest in central Europe. In 1400 a temporary royal seat was
established in the royal mint in the Italian Court. On January 18, 1409 Wenceslas IV
issued the important Kutná Hora Edict concerning Prague University
6) After this time KH began a long decline. During the Hussite wars it suffered disastrous
fires, miners rebellions, the yield of silver decreased and the mint was closed down in
1727.
ST. BARBARA¨S CATHEDRAL
The construction of the cathedral started in 1388 . Up to 1420 the work was done by the Petr
Parléř workshop. The triple – naved building originally planned was changed later into a five
– naved basilica. Then the work was interrupted by the wars and in 1482 Master Hanuš a
native from Kutná Hora continued. Matthias Rejsek vaulted the space over presbyterium.
Master Rejsek wanted a more modern design and he didn’t follow the plans of Master Hanuš.
In the years 1512 – 1532 the master – builder Benedikt Reigt created the vault over the main
nave and closed it with a tent roof.
In the 17th century the cathedral became the church of the Jesuit College.
In 1884 the town council began finishing the construction and the whole cathedral was
restored. The renovations were finally finished in 1903.
THE CHAPEL OF GOD¨S BODY
It’s older than St. Barbara’s Cathedral. It was originally meant to serve as an ossuary, it is
among the few buildings preserved as a whole from the era of late Gothic.
SMALL CASTLE
The original Gothic pallace, rebuilt in the 15th century, there is the Czech silver museum and
permanent exibition of artistic craft.Visitors also can see the medieval silver mine.
ITALIAN COURT
This cultural monument consists of an array of buildings dating back to the turn of the 14th
century. It was even the temporary seat of Czech kings at the beginning of the 15th century.
King Wenceslas IV. stayed there frequently. His royal palace was directly in the mint.
THE CHURCH OF ST. JAMES
The main parish church, patron saint of miners was built in the 14th century.
THE STONE FOUNTAIN
Built in 1495, probably the last work of M.Rejsek. The architecture is Gothic and it was used
as a water tank, which supplied houses and seven public fountains in the town.
STONE HOUSE
One of the most beautiful late Gothic buildings in central Europe.The rich sculptural
decoration on the facade was done at the end of the 15th century by Master Brixi. Later the
house was rebuilt by Prokop Kroupa as his own residence.The house is now a museum of arts
and crafts.
THE URSULINE CONVENT AND CHAPEL
The Ursuline order was a community of nuns, whose members lived among the people.The
nuns came to KH from Prague in 1712. Building of the convent was carried out after a
scheme of K.I.Dienzenhofer from 1733 – 1743. Because the order concentrated on education
of girls, a girl’s school was sold to the order. This school was open until 1950 when the
convent was closed. In 1902 a chapel was added to the convent.
Currently this building houses a permanent exibition of arts and crafts. Many of the pieces
and medieval ceramics are from an archeological dig that was conducted in a large garden
surrounding the convent.
THE OSSUARY
The small church of all Saints, located in Sedlec in the centre of a picturesque cemetary.There
were victims of Hussite wars and the epidemy of plague buried. The idea of using bones to
decorate the chapel was introduced by Schwarzenberg family. Hundreds of human skulls and
bones were used. It was the reflection of the generation of the Baroque cult of death.
ST. JOHN OF NEPOMUK CHURCH
The project for this Baroque church was drawn up by F:M: Kaňka in 1734 – 1754 and the
actual building was carried out by famous K.I. Dientzenhofer. The front facade is decorated
with the statues of St Vojtěch and St. Prokop.