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The Bone Church

Take a day trip from Prague to Kutna Hora to see the infamous Bone Church!

After a meditative weekend in Krakow, Sommer and I took the train from Poland to the Czech Republic to spend six nights in the historic city of Prague. We absolutely fell in love with Prague (and the Czech Republic as a whole) but more on that soon! :) While we were in Prague we took a couple of day trips outside the city to experience the Czech countryside. Our first stop was Kutna Hora, home of the infamous Bone Church!

Please note that the photos below contain actual human skeletons. Proceed with caution!

Take a day trip from Prague to Kutna Hora to see the infamous Bone Church!

Kutna Hora is a city located in the Bohemian region of the Czech Republic.

Take a day trip from Prague to Kutna Hora to see the infamous Bone Church!

It’s most known for being the home to the Sedlec Ossuary, a chapel adorned with thousands of human skeletons.

Take a day trip from Prague to Kutna Hora to see the infamous Bone Church!

The chapel is estimated to contain the skeletons of 40,000 to 70,000 people. Their bones have been artistically arranged to form decorations and furnishings for the chapel.

Take a day trip from Prague to Kutna Hora to see the infamous Bone Church!

Nicknamed “The Bone Church,” it is one of the most visited tourist attractions in the Czech Republic, attracting over 200,000 visitors annually.

Take a day trip from Prague to Kutna Hora to see the infamous Bone Church!

Why was a church made of bones constructed? And where did the bones come from?

Here’s what we know:

Take a day trip from Prague to Kutna Hora to see the infamous Bone Church!

Over 700 years ago, in 1278, the head of the Sedlec monastery went on a holy pilgrimage to Jerusalem. He returned with a small amount of earth he took from the hill where Jesus was crucified.

Take a day trip from Prague to Kutna Hora to see the infamous Bone Church!

When he returned, he sprinkled the dirt over the abbey cemetery.

Take a day trip from Prague to Kutna Hora to see the infamous Bone Church!

Word of this holy act quickly spread and the Sedlec cemetery became a desirable burial site all throughout central Europe.

Take a day trip from Prague to Kutna Hora to see the infamous Bone Church!

In the mid-1300s, during the height of the Black Death, thousands of people were buried in the Sedlec cemetery.

Take a day trip from Prague to Kutna Hora to see the infamous Bone Church!

Around 1400, a Gothic church was built in the center of the cemetery with an underground chapel to be used as memorial site for the mass graves unearthed during construction of the chapel.

Take a day trip from Prague to Kutna Hora to see the infamous Bone Church!

During construction, the thousands of exhumed bones were simply stacked in the middle of the chapel.

Take a day trip from Prague to Kutna Hora to see the infamous Bone Church!

It wasn’t until 1870 when artist František Rint was hired to put the bones in order, resulting in the chapel you see today.

Cool and creepy, huh?

Take a day trip from Prague to Kutna Hora to see the infamous Bone Church!

But there’s more to Kutna Hora than just the Bone Church.

Take a day trip from Prague to Kutna Hora to see the infamous Bone Church!

We toured several beautiful churches in Kutna Hora.

Take a day trip from Prague to Kutna Hora to see the infamous Bone Church!

This is The Church of Our Lady.

Take a day trip from Prague to Kutna Hora to see the infamous Bone Church!

It is one of the most important buildings in Czech architecture as it is one of the oldest examples of the Baroque Gothic style.

Take a day trip from Prague to Kutna Hora to see the infamous Bone Church!

Another striking church in Kutna Hora is Saint Barbara’s Church.

Take a day trip from Prague to Kutna Hora to see the infamous Bone Church!

Saint Barbara’s Church is a Roman Catholic church, and is sometimes referred to as the Cathedral of Saint Barbara.

Take a day trip from Prague to Kutna Hora to see the infamous Bone Church!

Saint Barbara is the patron saint of miners, which was highly fitting for Kutna Hora, a prominent silver mining town.

Take a day trip from Prague to Kutna Hora to see the infamous Bone Church!

In fact, the Royal Mint was located in Kutna Hora, where they made silver coins from the silver they mined.

Take a day trip from Prague to Kutna Hora to see the infamous Bone Church!

King Wenceslas would visit the mines often and stay in Kutna Hora for his visits.

Take a day trip from Prague to Kutna Hora to see the infamous Bone Church!

There was other mining in Kutna Hora as well.

Take a day trip from Prague to Kutna Hora to see the infamous Bone Church!

The church was built from sandstone that had been mined in the nearby quarries.

Take a day trip from Prague to Kutna Hora to see the infamous Bone Church!

We happened to arrive in Kutna Hora on the day of a Gothic celebration that happens only once a year.

Take a day trip from Prague to Kutna Hora to see the infamous Bone Church!

People dress up in medieval costumes, there are fun parades, a historical fair, and a feast of traditional street food!

Take a day trip from Prague to Kutna Hora to see the infamous Bone Church!

We were in heaven going to every stand and taste-testing everything!

Take a day trip from Prague to Kutna Hora to see the infamous Bone Church!

Spiral chips on a stick!

Take a day trip from Prague to Kutna Hora to see the infamous Bone Church!

Creme filled puff pastries!

Take a day trip from Prague to Kutna Hora to see the infamous Bone Church!

These donuts were incredible!!

Take a day trip from Prague to Kutna Hora to see the infamous Bone Church!

Such a fun festival. How cute is this mini hand-turned ferris wheel??

Take a day trip from Prague to Kutna Hora to see the infamous Bone Church!

If you are looking for a charming day trip outside of Prague, I highly recommend Kutna Hora! Four hours here is plenty of time to cover everything.

Check out czechtourism.com for more ideas for fun activities, charming towns, and day trips in the Czech Republic.

Until next time! :) xoxo

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10 Responses
  1. natalie

    what a nice blog you have. I m really interested in reading it all. my favourite topics food, travel and photography. I also visited Kutna Hora and your photos reminded me of that trip. thanks for sharing. Hope sometime you manage to visit Malta too :)

  2. Cathy

    You are my favorite travel blogger. I love your travel posts! You make each destination seem so fun and exciting. I would love to visit these same places and eat at some of these same restaurants. Thanks so much for sharing your trip.

  3. Jan Marie C

    I have been to Prague many times as I lived in Germany for a total of 9 years. This is one church I have missed. Beyond the food the crystal shops are unbelievable. I have lived and worded for a a very short time in our US Embassy while Shirley Temple Black was the ambassador there. I had lunch and tea with her and her husband. I was able to witness the change in this beautiful city’s
    transformation from a post WWII to how it looks today. Did you know that there are 7 levels of graves, literally one on the top of the over and they needed the space to bury the dead, hence we may have used the actual bones to provide space. If you missed getting some Maroon mushrooms, you’ll have to go back as they are excellent! They are often sold by little ladies on the sides of the road leading back and forth the Germany. So glad you share this post. I love this city and yes the country side is amazing!.
    Jan Marie
    Caruso
    Flourishelc.com

  4. Karen

    Amazing, colorful, and informative photographs. What a trip!!!! Fascinating. Thank you! My son has been there, but I doubt I will ever make it. Really enjoyed your blog about it!

    1. Laura ~ Raise Your Garden

      I’m hopeful that I’ll catch the travel bug again someday. But my photo’s will be no where near yours =) 

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Meet Kevin & Amanda

Kevin and Amanda

We love to travel and to eat! Here we share our favorite quick and easy recipes, plus travel tips and guides for our favorite places around the world. If you have any questions about what camera I use or how I edit my photos, check out my photography tutorials.

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