The most beautiful castles in the Czech Republic. Castle made of bones in the Czech Republic. Czech Republic: Ossuary - Church of bones Church of All Saints, Czech Republic
An amazing and terrifying architectural monument, created specifically to remind us of death, is world famous under the name Kostnica, Czech Republic. Decorations, inscription letters, pyramids, a chandelier - everything here is made from a truly unusual material, from human bones. The Church of Bones contains the remains of 40,000 people.
This unusual church is located near the town of Kutna Hora, approximately 70 kilometers from the capital of the Czech Republic. Now it is a small town, but once, thanks to silver deposits, it was practically a second Prague and, moreover, the main financial center of the entire country. But Kutna Hora was not destined to either eclipse or even catch up with the capital. The reason for this was the plague and religious wars, and over time, depleted reserves of silver. I doubt that any of the predecessors could have imagined that Kutna Hora would become famous because the world-famous ossuary (ossuary) is located here. The Czech Republic, in turn, will become a place of pilgrimage for hundreds of tourists who want to see a cemetery in the shape of a church.
Its history dates back to 1278. Then the Polish king Otakar II sent the Abbot of Siedlce on a diplomatic mission to Jerusalem. Upon his return, the abbot scattered the brought earth (a small handful) over the monastery cemetery. This event gave the cemetery the title of Holy Land and, not surprisingly, increased the popularity of this place among noble families throughout the Czech Republic and surrounding countries. Accordingly, the cemetery grew rapidly. Soon it reached a size of four hectares. After some time, rumors began to circulate that martyrs and people who died in the name of faith were buried here.
In 1218, the plague spread throughout Europe, cemeteries could not accommodate the huge number of dead, so secondary burial was actively practiced, when old bones were put in chapels (they were called “ossuaries”), and in place of the old bones, the dead were buried again. The land in the cemetery was resold more than six times, and as a result, the remains of actually 40,000 people were collected on the site of the Sedlec Monastery ossuary. In 1511, a half-blind monk, having bleached all the bones, began to stack them into six pyramids. Each pyramid was 2-3 meters high. When the monk died, the pyramids were not destroyed, but the church made of bones was closed for 350 years.
In the 18th century, Prince Schwarzenberg, who then owned the monastery land, ordered the creation of what people later called the “church of bones.” This unusual case was entrusted to the care of a local woodcarver, whose name was František Rint. He soaked the bones in bleach and gradually created his creations. One of the most unusual was a chandelier, where the master used absolutely all parts of the human skeleton - from the phalanx of the fingers to the coccygeal bones. In gratitude to his employer, Rint also made the Schwarzenberg coat of arms out of bones.
Often the Kostnica-Czech Republic route is chosen by gold-mining tourists. What is the reason? In the 16th century, monks found a treasure under one of the pyramids. It was never possible to find out its origin. It seems like it came out of nowhere. That is why the brothers attributed the discovery to divine intervention.
It is difficult to find a more striking and tragic work than a church made of bones. The Czech Republic annually welcomes thousands of guests from all over the world who want to see a unique creation of human hands. The ossuary in the Czech Republic is a kind of reminder of the frailty of all things and the coming apocalypse, the transience of human life and the day of judgment.
One of the most discussed and condemned Czech Republics – the famous one – is facing a global reconstruction. Fortunately or otherwise (depending on your attitude towards the ashes of the dead), the ossuary will continue to receive visitors during the renovation work.
The reconstruction will begin in July 2014 and will initially only affect the roof and rafters. It is expected that this stage of work will last approximately a year and a half and will require an investment of several million crowns.
The second stage of work will become more scrupulous. Restorers will “repair” the exhibits: all 40,000 bones will undergo a thorough inspection, research, and cleaning. Then each item will return to its usual place. Experts say that each of the four “pyramids” will take at least one year.
By the way, recently a curious incident occurred related to the Ossuary. Despite all the security measures, one of the visitors managed to remove the skull unnoticed. So, for some, remains, and for others, a souvenir. For the long memory.
Russian question
Well, a short digression on the burning topic: “Russian tourists and the Czech Republic.” Locals have already felt a decrease in tourist flow from the Eastern direction. According to the Association of Travel Agencies of the Czech Republic, hotel bookings decreased significantly in 2014 compared to the figures of two years ago. In terms of indicators, this was expressed as 8-22%.
The main reason is the devaluation of the ruble and the crisis expectations of Russians. The overt anti-Russian position of the leadership of the Czech Republic also affected the mood of tourists. To some extent, the annexation of the new region to Russia and active recreation in Crimea, hotly promoted in the media, could have had an impact. It might not have had any effect, however.
For reference: in 2013, 860 thousand Russians visited the Czech Republic. On average, everyone spent 4,000 crowns every day. Good money, although not as much as .
Unlike Czech politicians, tour operators do not want to lose Russian tourists. If the ruble continues to fall, they are ready to put pressure on hotels, demanding lower prices.
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You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.The Ossuary in Sedlec, or, as it is also called, the Church of All Saints, is a cemetery church made in the Gothic style.
You can find out what is unique about this architectural structure right now.
It must be said right away that many have their own attractions. But temple of bones, located in, is a completely unique case. It will be all the more interesting to learn about this for those who are hearing about this building for the first time.
Ossuary in Sedlec
If you see the bone temple from the outside, it will not attract much interest. But going inside this building may take your breath away. And there are good reasons for this.
The fact is that the entire interior decoration of the temple is made of human skulls and bones. According to experts, approximately 40,000 human remains were used to decorate this church. This is the population of a small town. Just think about it!
The history of the bone temple began in 1278. Abbot Henry was sent by the Czech king to. After staying there for some time, he returned back to his homeland, taking with him the soil taken from Calvary to scatter it over the abbey cemetery.
After this unusual ritual, the cemetery became very popular. Residents of Central Europe dreamed of being buried in this sacred place.
A natural consequence of such fame was an extraordinary increase in the area of the cemetery.
Church of bones
In 1400, a Gothic cathedral with a tomb was erected on the territory of the cemetery. The tomb was used to store bones, since there were no longer enough places for burials.
In 1703-1710 the church made of bones was radically remodeled and modernized. It was decided to add a separate entrance to it, and decorate the upper floors in the style.
By decision of the emperor, in 1784 the monastery was closed. Later, the chapel, including all the surrounding lands, was bought by the Schwarzenberg family.
In 1870, the new owners decided to hire a skilled craftsman who could tidy up the piles of human remains that were haphazardly piled up inside the church.
We can still see the result of the work of an unknown master today. Anyone has the opportunity to visit this extraordinary church made of bones and look at this extraordinary structure with their own eyes.
Many visitors are especially attracted by the huge candelabra hanging from the ceiling. It is unique in that it contains at least one fragment of each. In addition to everything, the chandelier is decorated with garlands of skulls.
Looking at the photographs below, think for a second that all of these are not just some biological remains of animals, but the bones of real people who once lived in European countries.
And now their bones and skulls “decorate” the church, where curious tourists come from different parts of the world every day.
What it is - medieval obscurantism, religious mysticism bordering on the occult, or art for the especially dedicated - it’s up to you to decide. But it seems that these 40 thousand people, whose remains are unceremoniously placed in this temple, would hardly be happy if they were told about this during their lifetime.
Photo of a church made of human bones
The master's signature, also made from human bones The small Czech town of Kutná Hora is located 60 kilometers from Prague. This small town was once famous for its rich silver mines. Currently, the mines are not active, and Kutná Hora would be an ordinary quiet town if not for its world-famous attraction - the Ossuary.
Ossuary (ossuary) - what is it?
Ossuary is a church whose interior is entirely made of human bones. This both frightens and fascinates tourists. Few people would dare to visit the Ossuary alone, especially at night, but during the day excursions are constantly held here.
The history of the Czech Ossuary begins in the 13th century, when holy soil brought by one of the monks from Golgotha was scattered over the cemetery of the Sedlec Monastery (a suburb of Kutná Hora).
In 1318, a plague epidemic prompted the monks to expand the cemetery area and free up additional space by eliminating old burials.
The dug up ashes could not be properly disposed of at that time: the dug up remains were simply dumped in the basements of the monastery chapels.
Such basements turned into ossuary burials, and pretty soon the number of those “reburied” exceeded 40,000.
The next cleanup of the cemetery began almost two hundred years later - in 1511. History has not preserved the name of the old half-blind monk who dug up the remains and made room for new burials.
But this time the bones were not thrown into the chapels: the monk bleached them with chlorine and stacked six bone pyramids in the chapel.
Soon the monk died, and his brothers did not destroy these pyramids, but access to the chapel for outsiders was limited: it was locked for three and a half centuries.
Over time, the bones began to be burned, and the chapel was unclaimed until 1870, when Sedlec was completely purchased by Prince Schwarzenberg.
The prince did not like the bone structures he saw, and the entire layout of the chapel as a whole. A local woodcarver was invited to reconstruct the premises. Frantisek Rint, who was tasked with transforming the space into “something more gothic.”
Rint understood this instruction in his own way and used the bones found in the chapel to decorate the interior of the entire church. All bones were cleaned with bleach, after which they were used to create a unique structure - the Ossuary, which has survived almost unchanged to this day.
It is interesting that from the bones (the remains of approximately 40,000 people were kept in the chapel) it was possible to create not only a new interior truly in the Gothic style, but also the family coat of arms of the Schwarzenbergs.
Also, a unique chandelier under the dome of the chapel was created from bones (even the fastenings of the chandelier to the ceiling were made from bones), as well as numerous vases and elements of small decoration.
On one of the walls of the ossuary in Sedlec you can see Rint's autograph - it is also made entirely of human bones.
Many compare the Ossuary in Kutna Hora with the famous Parisian catacombs, the walls of which are also entirely made of human bones.
But if the catacombs, according to eyewitnesses, do not evoke anything other than fear and horror, then the Ossuary really looks like a grandiose work of art, and the origin of the material for decorating the Ossuary fades into the background, giving way to admiration.
The ossuary in Kutná Hora is not the only one in the Czech Republic. The remains of 50,000 people are also kept under the Church of St. James (Brno). This ossuary remained hidden from human eyes for many years - it was discovered only in 2001.
This happened during the reconstruction of Jacob's Square, on the site of which five hundred years ago there was a cemetery. As in the case of the Kutna Hora Ossuary, here, too, the cemetery area was expanded after the plague epidemic and the Hussite Wars.
How to get to Kutna Hora
You can get to the Ossuary from Prague either as part of an excursion group or on your own. The Prague-Kutná Hora route is very popular, and finding the right train at the station will not be difficult if you travel on your own.
The train departs from the main railway station and goes to the station " Kutná Hora hlavní nádraží"about an hour. The first train from Prague to Kutna Hora leaves at 5:16 , the last one is in 23:16 . One way fare is approx. 3 euros.
Taking a special bus to Kutna Hora is cheaper, but the disadvantage of such a trip is that the bus stop in Kutna Hora is quite far from the Ossuary itself.
How to visit the Ossuary
The Ossuary is not closed for seasonal maintenance work and is open all year round. You can view the Ossuary from 9.30 before 18.00 daily except Monday.
The entrance fee for an adult is 60 CZK(approximately $6), discounts available for students and children.
Discounts are also available for groups: the more people in the group, the cheaper the entrance ticket. Discounts start when visiting in a group of eight or more people. Groups of more than 25 people are not formed.
However, in Kutna Hora you can purchase several tickets at once to visit other attractions: such a “wholesale” purchase allows you to save a lot of money, as a result, visiting each attraction (including the Ossuary) will cost about three times less.
If you wish, you can book an excursion, during which you will see not only the Ossuary, but also some other interesting sights.
Such excursions are offered by many tour operators; their cost can range from 50 to 150 dollars.
This price includes bus rides, stories from a guide and the opportunity to take photographs and videos of many objects (but not all).
What else can you see in Kutná Hora
In addition to the Ossuary in Kutná Hora, there are several other attractions that deserve attention. In fact, there are a lot of interesting places and historical monuments in this small town, but some of them are worth visiting first.
Map of Kutna Hora with attractions
Cathedral of St. Barbara
This is a unique structure that began to be built back in the 14th century. The cathedral is an excellent example of late Gothic architecture.
Saint Barbara is the patroness of all miners, so it is not surprising that there is such a church in the former city of silver miners.
Žleby Castle
The castle is not located in the city itself, but 25 kilometers from it. However, large groups of tourists come here every day.
The castle was once the residence of the Lichtenbergs, a noble Czech family. But the castle was named after the architect’s surname – Zhleby.
Currently, almost all the premises of the castle are occupied by museum exhibits: here you can see a huge collection of bladed weapons, paintings by famous artists, objects of medieval life, and at the end of the tour you can go up to the observation deck of the castle and explore its surroundings.
The castle itself was built and rebuilt over hundreds of years - it all started with a defensive fortress that stood here back in 1289.
The fortress underwent a number of major rebuildings and reconstructions, and since 1427, Žleby Castle was rebuilt and expanded four times.
Jesuit College in Kutna Hora
The building was built in 1667 by the architect Giovanni Domenico Orsi. This building might not have existed if not for the enormous influence of the Jesuits on the city authorities.
As a result, the college building stands slightly asymmetrical in relation to other nearby buildings, but this position was chosen by the Jesuits themselves.
The Jesuit Order was abolished in 1773, but the college building was not demolished, but was used for military purposes. Since 2004, the college has become a European Center for the Arts.
Stone well
This ancient structure is nothing more than one of the main parts of the old Kutna Hora water supply system. The well was built at the end of the 14th century, but currently it is not functioning and is a historical monument.
Excursion to the Ossuary on video:
The sights, and specifically the ossuary in Kutna Hora, are worth a visit. As they say, it is better to see once than to hear a hundred times. Have a nice holiday!
Today, thanks to the media, the central district of Kutna Hora in the Czech Republic - Sedlec, is visited by more than 250 thousand people every year to visit bone museum.
The church, which is located next to the museum, was originally part of the Cistercian Abbey in Sedlec. The church is very old, it was built back in the 14th century. It consists of two chapels, which are located one above the other.
According to legend, one of the abbots of Sedlec went on a diplomatic visit to Jerusalem, from where he brought a handful of soil from the tomb of Jesus Christ. He scattered this earth in a cemetery near the monastery, which later became known as the Holy Field. This news spread throughout the Czech Republic. People began to bury their loved ones only in this cemetery, the territory of which over time became about 4 hectares. After the plague of 1318, 30,000 victims were buried here. Another 10,000 people were admitted to the cemetery during the Hussite Wars.
Previously they even tried to build a tobacco factory on this site, but it never happened. Today there are two cathedrals here - the Cathedral of the Virgin Mary and the Cathedral of All Saints, in which the ossuary is located. After the construction of the Cathedral of All Saints, they decided to close the cemetery at the monastery. All the bones that were recovered were piled in a heap in the chapel, which was located in the basement of the cathedral.
These bones would have continued to lie there if not for the monk, who in 1511 began to restore order here, so to speak. History, unfortunately, has not preserved his name. It is only known that he had poor vision and was practically blind. He sorted the bones, separating them from each other. So he got 6 pyramids. This was the end of the restoration of order in the chapel until the 18th century.
After these lands came into the possession of Prince Schwarzenberg, the famous woodcarver František Rint was commissioned to design and organize the remains of the bones. Rint approached the project with enthusiasm, and created a truly eerie place.
In the very central part of the church there are 4 rows on which are located skulls and crossbones. Previously, these rows were decorated with golden cupids, but later they were abolished - they were too cheerful and cheerful.
When visitors look up, they will see a huge chandelier, in the creation of which ALL human bones were used. The chandelier is quite impressive. Garlands stretch from it in different directions, as you probably already guessed, also made of bones.
In each corner of the church there is a mound of bones in the shape of a giant bell. Each bell has a hole, looking into which you get the feeling that there are an incredibly large number of skulls inside.
Well, to the left of the entrance is the coat of arms of the Schwarzenberg family, which is also made of bones. It consists of a cross, a shield, a crown and a skeleton of a crow sitting on the skull, which seems to have pecked out the eyes of the skull. The crow was included in the symbolism of the coat of arms after someone from the Schwarzenberg family became famous for winning a battle against the Turks.