The creepy bone church in Czechia
Did you know that there is a church in Czechia (The Czech Republic) in the town of Kutna Hora which has bone chandeliers, a bone balcony and even a coat of arms made from bones?! We visited Prague a few years back and whilst there took a trip out to Kutna Hora, around an hours train journey from Prague (Click here for train and bus times).
The church of All Saints in Sedlec, Kutna Hora, is known internationally as "the bone church" or "church of bones". It's an ossuary (or in Czech 'Kostnice'), basically a place used to house human bones! The Church contains the bones of around 40,000 people who died of the plague in 1318.
The bodies were originally buried in the church cemetery. However, when the cemetery was closed in the 15th century, the bones were transferred to the chapel (as you do!).
In 1870, František Rint arranged the bones into decorations. Who knows why?
Visit the ossuary as part of a day trip to the town of Kutna Hora, which has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995. You can also see St Barbara's Church, the Cathedral of Assumption of Our Lady and St. John the Baptist, Bohemian Museum of Silver and have lunch at the cosy Restaurace Dačický which serves soup in edible bread bowls and has a roaring real fireplace in winter.
We made sure to fill our bellies with the local soup!
Where
Sedlec Ossuary
284 03 Kutná Hora - Sedlec
Opening Hours
Nov. - Feb.: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Oct. & Mar.: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Apr. - Sep.: 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Sundays: 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Closed on Dec. 24
Admission
Adults 90 CZK Approx €3/£3/$4
Reduced 60 CZK
Getting There
Sedlec is located about half a mile from Kutna Hora - Main Railway Station (hlavní nádraží).
By train: The local trains that connect the train station with the Kutná Hora city center pass through Sedlec. Get off at the first stop (Kutná Hora-Sedlec). It is a request stop, so press the request-stop button (zastávka na znamení). Or walk from the main train station, (Hlavni Nadrazi) as we did.
By bus: Kutná Hora city buses no. 1 and 7 connect the train station with the town. Get off at the second stop (Sedlec,Tabák) and follow the signs to the ossuary.
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