Why do all the tourists go to the Czech Ossuary and how do they manage to fall asleep after that? Museum of bones - ossuary, Czech Republic, Sedlec Church in Prague made of bones

Those who built the castles of the Czech Republic many centuries ago probably could not even imagine that hundreds of thousands of tourists from all over the world would one day walk through them.

In the Czech Republic, castles were built for practical reasons - for protection from the troops of various enemy states who dreamed of seizing the wealth and lands of this country.

Medieval fortresses were rebuilt several times in subsequent centuries. gradually turned from military fortresses into luxurious residences of noble families (Lichensteins, Schwarzenbergs and others), as well as monarchs. However, the powerful towers and their walls, growing out of the rocks, still demonstrated inaccessibility and grandeur.

Castles of the Czech Republic are a source of artistic impressions for modern tourists. At the same time, it is an opportunity to look at the life of their inhabitants through the centuries. Almost all the Czech castles mentioned in this article are located near Prague.

Prague Castle

When traveling to the Czech capital, you should definitely visit this most famous castle in the country. This is the central attraction of the city. Prague Castle was the main residence of Czech kings (today presidents). It grew out of a fortress built on this site back in 880. Prague Castle has since experienced periods of neglect and several destructive raids. However, time passed, and he was reborn again, personifying the inviolability of the power of the monarch.

Prague Castle today is an architectural museum that, behind its walls, has collected pieces of various eras of history. The most ancient “exhibits” are parts of the wall of the Church of the Virgin Mary erected here (dating back to the 9th century), as well as the rotunda of St. Vita (dating from the 10th century), which is “hidden” in the basement of the Cathedral of St. Vitus (14th century), her majestic Gothic descendant.

Karlstein

Karlštejn is the second most visited castle in the Czech Republic after Prague Castle. Its square tower is what tourists see in almost all guidebooks. Many people are attracted here by the spirit of the legendary era, which glorified the Czech kingdom throughout Europe. If you decide to see the most beautiful castles in the Czech Republic, do not forget to visit Karlštejn.

The castle was built by the first king of the Czech Republic, who was able to become Emperor of the Sacred Building. This building was a reliable military fortification for Charles, his majestic country residence and at the same time a treasury, since works of art, jewelry, and royal regalia were kept here.

Hluboka nad Vltava

Almost 300 thousand tourists who come annually to see the Hluboká nad Vltavou castle (Czech Republic) will agree that it is one of the most romantic and beautiful in this country. Therefore, if you want your beloved to feel like a princess from a fairy tale, be sure to visit this place together (you can even arrange a wedding ceremony here). The Czech Republic, whose castles and fortresses amaze with their grandeur, is an ideal place for a romantic trip.

Hluboka was built in the 13th century, but acquired its neo-Gothic splendor later, in the second half of the 19th century. This style was extremely popular at that time, during the romantic era. (Czech Republic) is interesting both outside and inside. Inside you will find collections of various works of art, as well as luxurious historical interiors.

Czech krumlov

Cesky Krumlov is unique. It is no coincidence that UNESCO included it in the list of World Heritage Sites. Cesky Krumlov is a whole ancient city. The castle itself rises on a rocky ledge in the center. The medieval street layout has been preserved here to this day. You can see buildings in this place dating back to a variety of architectural eras (from the 14th to the 19th century). About 300 thousand tourists come here every year to feel the aroma of the past.

Konopiste

The most famous of all the inhabitants of this castle is Archduke Ferdinand. It was with the murder of this man that the First World War began. However, tourists are attracted here not only by this fact. Konopiste is located in a very picturesque place. It is located on the wooded shore of the lake.

In addition, here you can find the largest collection of historical weapons in Europe, as well as hunting trophies and armor, in addition to works of fine art and majolica collections.

Sikhrov

Sikhrov was never a military structure. It was created at the end of the 17th century, when the times of chivalry had long been forgotten. Sikhrov became a castle-estate, made in the French spirit, which was brought here by the Rohan-Rocheforts, its owners. They collected a very interesting collection of paintings here, but the main treasures of the castle were 16th-century miniatures, a collection of antique furniture, a luxurious library, the Dvorak Museum, interiors decorated with carved wood, as well as the ghost of the “black lady.”

Loket

Loket Castle (Czech Republic) is visited by those who want to look at real antiquity. It is one of the best in the country, which has preserved almost completely its medieval appearance: powerful towers, small windows, stone walls. Loket especially stands out among other luxuriously decorated castles with its serious and gloomy appearance. But this was to be expected from a building that is a border fortress, not built for pleasure at all on an impregnable bend of the Ohřa River.

The Romanesque rotunda, dating back to the 12th century, is considered the oldest of the remaining buildings that make up Loket Castle (Czech Republic). The Museum of Czech Porcelain awaits you inside. The Karlovy Vary region is famous for its products. You will also find a bookbinding museum and a basement exhibition of an ancient prison with instruments of torture on display.

Orlik nad Vltavou

When describing the most beautiful castles in the Czech Republic, it is impossible not to mention Orlik nad Vltavou. The name "Orlik" is an echo of the memory of the eagles that once lived in the vicinity of this place. The building itself is located on a high rocky promontory that juts into the river. Orlik Castle (Czech Republic) itself resembles the nest of a majestic mountain bird. Now, when the waters of the Vltava River, the Orlitsky Reservoir, have come almost close to the walls, hiding the peaks that surrounded it, we still cannot cease to admire the charm of the white carved towers of this castle shining against the sky.

Travelers, in addition, are attracted here by the motley, but very interesting exhibition, which combines historical relics of the Schwarzenbergs, an illustrious family. Also very interesting is the collection of firearms dating back to the 17th-20th centuries, a library, hunting trophies and an archaeological collection, which includes exhibits from the time of Troy.

Melnik

This castle is loved by tourists not only for its picturesque surroundings, but also for Mount Rzip, a national shrine. The architecture of the Renaissance, the Lobkowitz family collections and historical interiors are very interesting here. Melnik is also the center of winemaking in the Czech Republic. Emperor Charles IV himself brought grapevines from Burgundy here and established the production of the famous drink with the help of the French. In the castle cellars today you can appreciate the Czech wine wealth.

Lednice

Lednice Castle in the Czech Republic, which belongs to the Liechtenstein dominion, is a magnificent example of the so-called “new Gothic”. It was created on the site of a medieval castle that was previously located here. Lednice is part of a complex with an area of ​​200 km2, which includes a huge park and the Baroque Valtice Palace.

The park, which is called the "Garden of Europe", is a true masterpiece made in the landscape style of England. Interesting finds await those who decide to walk along it: pavilions, temples, gazebos, ponds, a cave and artificial “ruins”, a minaret, an aqueduct and others.

Cesky Sternberk

This impregnable Gothic structure rises menacingly above the Sazava River. Sternberg Castle in the Czech Republic is one of the most visited and ancient in this country. It was founded on the site of an ancient fortification in the 13th century. The castle is the family seat of the Sternbergs, the richest and most famous noble family in the Czech Republic.

The halls are richly decorated. The Knight's Hall, the largest of the state rooms, is impressive, decorated with unique crystal chandeliers dating back to the 18th century. Each of them weighs 300 kg. In this room there is furniture that has served its owners since the 16th century. Carl Brentan, an Italian artist, painted the ceiling here.

Sternberg Castle in the Czech Republic was nationalized after the war, and only in 1992 was returned to Zdenek von Sternberg, the last owner, who lives here permanently and sometimes conducts excursions.

These are the main castles of the Czech Republic. I would like to tell you about another interesting place that can be found in this country. We are talking about the city of Kutna Hora.

Church of bones

In the Czech Republic there is an unremarkable small town of Kutna Hora. Here, as in other small settlements, there is a church, a town hall and some kind of square.

He probably would have remained unknown if it had not been for the plague epidemic that occurred in the 14th century, which claimed the lives of tens of thousands of people, and if a certain woodcarver, 5 centuries later, had not decided to “put in order” the remains of these victims.

They decorated... the church with bones and skulls. Kutna Hora has since become a favorite destination for tourists from all over the world, who are attracted by everything mysterious and gloomy.

History of the Ossuary

Otakar II, King of Bohemia, sent an abbot to Palestine around the second half of the 13th century. The rector brought some land from a business trip abroad. He scattered it around the cemetery. The land, I must say, was unusual. The priest took her at Calvary - the place where Jesus Christ was crucified, according to the New Testament.

Since then, the land in the city of Kutna Hora has been considered sacred. There were rumors that the body began to decompose here only on the third day after the person was buried. Soon the fame of the Holy Land located in the center of Europe spread to other countries. Many famous people from various countries wanted to be buried in the city of Kutna Hora in the local cemetery.

Plague spread to Bohemia in the 14th century. Thousands of relatives from all over the earth brought the dead to the place where a piece of the Holy Land was located.

Epidemics and medieval wars also contributed to the cemetery growing more and more. His tomb was erected on it in 1400; it was a storehouse for bones that were taken out of the graves.

The name of the person who first came up with the idea of ​​organizing all these bone heaps, unfortunately, is unknown. It is believed that he was one half-blind monk. It was he who sorted out the rubble of skulls and bones and built 6 pyramids from them.

After 400 years, the emperor ordered this cathedral to be closed. Then the Schwarzenberg family decided to buy the church along with the lands around it. Since there was nowhere to sell the remaining land, the Schwarzenbergs decided to hire an “interior designer” to somehow transform the area. Frantisek Rinta, a woodworker, approached the task quite creatively. Now we can see a unique creation of art.

Church interior

The church located in this city is no different from the outside. We see a somewhat gloomy building, surrounded by slabs and stone monuments. However, as we know, appearances can often be deceiving. Everything changes when you get inside.

In each corner of this building there are small pyramids of bones. A huge beautiful candelabra hangs in the middle. It consists of human bones of all kinds. A separate decorative element is the chandelier in the cathedral. Hundreds of tourists are eager to get inside this temple precisely because of it. If you look closely, you will notice that it is attached to the ceiling with its jaws. It’s hard to imagine, but this church contains the bones of people whose number exceeds 40 thousand.

The castle made of bones in the Czech Republic is the main attraction of Kutná Hora. In addition, you can visit the national museum located here, the mint, as well as the Cathedral of St. Barnabas, and simply walk along the beautiful and atmospheric streets of the city.

The Ossuary in the Czech Republic is a unique, but very frightening place, which is located on the outskirts of the city of Kutna Hora in the town of Sedlec. The history of the church made of bones dates back to the end of the 19th century, but now it is the center of the tourist business in Kutna Hora. In the city of Sedlec, in addition to the church, there is the Assumption Cathedral, which was included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List in 1995. Every year, 250,000 tourists come to Sedlec every year to see with their own eyes the confrontation between life and death. It is in this eerie place that you can feel the transience of life. Therefore, there is no need to consider the Ossuary from the point of view of morality or religion; the idea is completely different.

The ossuary in the Czech Republic is the main ossuary of the country. It took more than 40,000 skeletons to decorate the inside of the church. Here, the entire interior is made of bones: chandeliers, ceilings, wall decorations, even cups and vases are made of human bones. This place is definitely not suitable for the faint of heart, or small children. The Sedlec Ossuary is the only one in the world, so thousands of tourists visit this place every year.

History of the bone church in the Czech Republic

It all started in the 13th century, when a Cistercian monastery was located on the site of the church. At that time, Henry was the abbot. At the direction of the king, the monk went to the Holy Land. A few years later he came back and scattered the earth from Golgotha ​​throughout the territory. From that moment on, Henry's abbey was called a saint, and only historical figures and officials, as well as representatives of noble families who could afford it, were buried in the cemetery. The holy abbey was known not only in the Czech Republic, but also abroad, so the cemetery quickly expanded. In the 15th century, Europe was hit by a plague that quickly swept across the continent. The Black Death and constant wars caused there to be no burial places left. Therefore, they began to practice secondary burial. The remains of human skeletons were moved to the chapel, and in the free space they re-buried people. From that moment on, all the chapels were turned into ossuaries.

Not all ossuaries have gained such popularity as in Sedlec. The monk who lived in this area bleached all the bones dug up due to the need for a secondary burial. All skeletons had the same appearance and were folded in the form of a pyramid. Over the course of his entire life, he created six pyramids, their height reaching several meters! After the death of the monk, his brothers did not destroy these pyramids, but only closed the ossuary so that the local residents would not know about it. And only at the end of the 18th century the new owner instructed his subjects to do something with all the bones. The craftsmen did not dare to bury the bones in the ground again, so it was decided to decorate the ossuary with them and make this place unique in its kind. All bones have been re-bleached. And six pyramids have remained to this day. This is the legacy of the first monk who started doing this.

Incredibly, all the bones that were used in the interior of the ossuary are real human skeletons. Here, absolutely everything is made of bones: the iconostasis, arches, garlands, a huge chandelier, even crosses. The chandelier is made up of all the bones of the human skeleton and is attached using the jaw. The columns of skulls reach one and a half meters and are made in the form of bells. But the masters did not stop there and even created the coat of arms of the city and the monastery from human bones. And the main master who developed the project left an autograph made of bones. Although outwardly the church is absolutely unremarkable and was built in the Gothic style with high spiers and straight lines. This is a unique place, because there are no other ossuaries with so many decorative elements made of human bones and with such pyramids of bones.

Reconstruction of the Ossuary in Kutna Hora

Since 2015, reconstruction has been taking place in Kostnice. According to the local authorities of the city of Kutna Hora, the work will last 5 years. In just a few years, the façade of the building will be completely restored and the roof of the building will be put in order. Due to the fact that only external work is being carried out, the Ossuary in the Czech Republic remains open to tourists. The reason for the reconstruction is that the land of the cemetery adjacent to the church is subsiding. Several centuries ago, silver was mined here, so there are tunnels and catacombs underground, which are eroded by underground water over time. The buildings are beginning to sink into the ground, and this is unacceptable for such a historical place as the Ossuary.

The ossuary in the city of Kutna Hora attracts tourists from all over the world with its uniqueness, so even during reconstruction it continues to be open to travelers. Possible changes can be found on the official website.

Address on the map

• Zámecká, 284 03 Kutná Hora, Czech Republic

How to get there from Prague?

You can get to the Ossuary in Kutná Hora from Prague from the Florenc bus station by bus to Sedlec. Another option is to take a direct train from Prague to Kutná Hora station, then to Sedlice.

You can travel by car along the E67 highway to the town of Kolin and then follow road 38.

There are also excursion groups from Prague to Kutná Hora, and then back to Prague. The cost is 26-35 EUR. Night excursions to the Ossuary are especially popular.

Cost of visit

The cost of visiting the crypt is 90 CZK (full), 60 CZK (reduced). The cost of visiting the cathedral is 50 CZK (full), 30 CZK (reduced).

Opening hours

The crypt is open daily (except December 24), but opening hours vary depending on the season:

• November-February – from 09:00 to 16:00;
• April-September – from 08:00 to 18:00;
• March, October – from 09:00 to 17:00.

The cathedral operates in the same mode on all days except December 24, Good Friday and Holy Saturday.

Ossuary (Kostnice v Sedlci) is a church and ossuary in the Czech Republic, in the suburbs of Prague, the city of Kutná Hora (Sedlci). This place is famous for its unusual design - the walls and ceilings of the underground chapel are decorated with unusual figures and ornaments made from real human bones. In total, 50-60 thousand skeletons are involved in the interior.

It is impossible to meet anyone indifferent to this chapel. Some consider the composition in the basement of the Sedlec church blasphemous. Someone, no matter how much they want, cannot stay in this specific room for a long time. But there are those who are sure that such use of human bones is a true monument to immortality, a “second life” of the mortal human body.

Panorama inside the Sedlec Ossuary - Google Maps

History of the Ossuary in the Czech Republic

The first question that arises is: how did this happen? How did skulls end up on coats of arms and chandeliers? The answer to this question lies in the centuries-old history of these places and a series of fateful events of various scales.

The underground chapel of All Saints in Kutná Hora appeared in the 13th century, on the initiative of the Siedlce Cistercian Abbey. During her reign, a cemetery was opened, which for some time was no different from the usual burial grounds.

In 1278, the Czech king Ottokar II sent one of the abbots to Israel, and he returned with a small amount of land from Golgotha. It was scattered throughout the cemetery, making it the most popular not only among Catholics in the Czech Republic, but also among believers throughout Central Europe.

In the middle of the 13th century. Europe is engulfed by a plague epidemic that has claimed thousands of lives. This rapidly increased the number of burials near the chapel. Then the wars began, the number of deaths was frightening. By 1400, there were more than 40 thousand burials in the cemetery, sprinkled with Holy Land. The dead began to displace the living.

It was decided to make a two-level religious building instead of an underground chapel: a Gothic cathedral with an underground tomb was built in the cemetery - it was decided to store bones from old graves in it.

At the beginning of the 16th century. the tomb was monitored by a visually impaired monk of the same Cistercian order, who began sorting the bones by type. He laid the result of his work into 6 even pyramids.

At the end of the 18th century. Emperor Joseph II ordered the monastery to be abolished. The historical place, which was already about 500 years old at that time, was acquired by the famous family of princes and counts of Schwarzenberg.

The pile of bones in the basement did not bother the family, but she still wanted to put them in order. For this purpose, in 1870 they hired master Frantisek Rint, who specialized in wood carving. Rint gave free rein to his bold creative impulse and created an exhibition from human bones. His family helped him in his work: his wife and two children.

Mass media in the 20th century. did their job, and today the Ossuary and the Cathedral in Sedlec are one of the most popular tourist sites in Europe. About half a million visitors pass through it every year.

Features of architecture and interior

The Siedlce Cathedral itself is a mixture of architectural solutions: originally executed in a strict Gothic style, at the beginning of the 18th century. it was reconstructed and embellished in the Baroque spirit.

But let's focus on the basement tomb performed by Frantisek Rint. At the entrance you are greeted by pillars of skulls and two crossed shin bones, bone sculptures resembling huge goblets, and a decorative Catholic cross made of the same material. Inside, at the four corners, there are huge piles of bones, laid out in the shape of bells.

Particular attention is drawn to the huge bone candelabra hanging from the ceiling. It contains at least 1 copy of every element of the human skeleton. The base for the candles consists of the hip bones. Among other things, the candelabrum contains small figures of angels made from more common applied material.

There is an altar on the far wall. On the way to it there are 4 decorative altar monstrances; they are decorated with already familiar patterns: crossed bones and skulls. There you can observe another non-bone figure - the crucified Christ. Opposite there are candles, to which many coins have been thrown - some are left by those who believe in the sign: whoever throws a coin at the altar of the Ossuary will definitely find treasure.

The entire ceiling is hung with garlands of skulls; ceiling decorations made from shin bones are partially used. On one of the walls, the name of the author of the idea and the year of its implementation - 1870 - are laid out in bones.

Nearby is a huge bone family coat of arms of the Schwarzenbergs, which, with its diversity, allowed the artist to roam around. It is divided into several parts of varying levels of artistic complexity, but Rint managed to accurately recreate each of them.

Opening hours and ticket prices

Opening hours depend on the season:

• October—March: Mon-Sun 9:00–17:00;
• April—September: Mon-Sun 9:00–18:00;
• The only day off of the year is December 24th.

As for the price of tickets, there are 3 programs on site, a preferential system and discounts have been introduced for groups. The preferential group of the population includes children, students, people with disabilities and pensioners.

Entry price to the crypt:

• individually: adults 90 CZK (270 RUR); preferential: 60 CZK (180 rubles);
• parents with children and groups of more than 8 people: adults 75 CZK (225 RUR); preferential: 50 CZK (150 RUR).

The “TOP 3” program, which includes entrance to the crypt, passage to the Sedlec Cathedral and the Cathedral of St. Barbara (Chrám sv. Barbory), does not reduce prices for groups, but is offered at a favorable price:

• adults: 220 CZK (660 RUR);
• students and pensioners: 155 CZK (465 RUR);
• children: 130 CZK (390 RUR).

If you were traveling by bus, then from the final bus stop you can get to the place by minibus. It is important that their itinerary includes Sedlec or Katedrála. If the route is not specialized, you will also have to walk about 15 minutes from the stop.

You can call a car, Yandex applications work. Taxi and Uber, and there is a Czech Russian-language service “My Taxi”. If you have the opportunity to travel in your own or a rented car, leave Prague along the E67 highway, then turn towards the town of Kolin, then follow road 38.

Video about Kostnice in the Czech Republic

Jan Svankmajer - Ossuary (1970)

Ossuary in Sedlec (Kostnice v Sedlci) or the Roman Catholic cemetery Church of All Saints with a ossuary (kostel Všech Svatých s Kostnice).
Czech Republic, Central Bohemian region (Středočeský kraj). Kutná Hora district.
Kutná Hora-Sedlec, Zámecká street 127.

“This work cannot be understood as an end in itself, but for many decades it has reminded visitors of the frailty of human life and the immutable fact of death.”

Already in 1142, this place was the site of the Siedlce Cistercian monastery.

In 1278, Henry, abbot of the Cistercian monastery in Sedlec was sent by the Czech king Přemysl Otakar 2 (in Czech Přemysl Otakar/Ottokar) to the Holy Land (Palestine). From the trip, the priest brought some earth from Golgotha, where, according to New Testament tradition, Jesus Christ was crucified. The monastery brothers scattered land near the monastery and founded a cemetery. Since then they began to believe that the local land is holy. Such a belief did not arise out of nowhere. According to legend, the body here begins to decompose only on the third day after burial. Therefore, many bequeathed to be buried in the monastery cemetery. The fame of the Holy Land in the center of Europe spread far beyond the country's borders. Among the buried were not only Czechs, but also noble dead from Germany, Poland, and Belgium.

In 1318, a plague epidemic broke out in Bohemia. Relatives took their dead to the place where the monks had once scattered a piece of Palestine. In that terrible year, the earth received about 30,000 corpses. The cemetery itself occupied four hectares and was disproportionately larger than the current one. Burials did not stop after the epidemic. The bodies of Catholic monks, whom Protestants slaughtered in hundreds, were buried here. (Hussite Wars). Over time, the cemetery gained fame as a place where martyrs and those who died for the faith were buried.

Around 1400, the Gothic Church of All Saints was built in the center of the cemetery with a basement chapel of the Soulful Agony of Jesus Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane. It was there that the remains of the bulk of the dead were transferred, since there was no longer room in the cemetery for new burials. The bones were stacked without any order or meaning, without caring about the aesthetics and interior of the huge crypt into which the lower Chapel of All Saints in Sedlec.

Then the “reusable” use of cemetery land became a tradition: the “old” dead were dug up, their remains were placed in the basement of the chapel (ossuary), and new ones were buried in their place, and so on, up to 6-7 reburials in the same place . Thus, the remains of more than 40,000 people accumulated in the ossuary of the church.

In 1511, a half-blind monk working in a cemetery decided to “restore order” to the ossuary. During the work, the monk decided to approach this matter creatively. He sorted human bones, put the skulls into six neat pyramids up to 3 meters high, and in the corners Castel of All Saints in Sedlec carved stone crowns over the pyramids. The monk died in the chapel, according to legend, leaving a note to his brothers that, although poor, he was an artist at heart and would like the memory of him and the dead to be preserved for many years. After the death of the monk, the ossuary was closed for as much as 350 years, leaving the “sculptures” of the strange sculptor in a cassock untouched, and thus preserved them in excellent condition.

In the 16th century, under one of these pyramids, monks found a treasure. It was never possible to find out its origin. It seemed to come out of nowhere. Therefore, the brothers attributed the accidental discovery to divine intervention. Sedlec Monastery Then they really needed money, and 10 thousand ducats, an absolutely fantastic amount, came just in time.

In 1703 - 1710 Church of All Saints in Sedlec was rebuilt. Jan Blazej Santini Aichel took part in the reconstruction and development of the entrance unit of the church, the basis of which is the upper chapel and the lower one – the “ossuary”. He gave the ossuary a modern look in the Baroque Gothic style.
In 1784, the Austrian emperor ordered the monastery to be closed. The monastic lands and the church located on them passed to the Schwarzenberg family.
In 1870, the Schwarzenbergs hired woodcarver Frantisek Rint (František Rint) in order for him to put in order a pile of folded bones. František worked with four members of his family, who bleached and disinfected the bones by treating them with a bleach solution. After drying, they took on a specific white color. True, over time, the white exhibits turned yellow, and in some places they were covered with the autographs of visitors to the castel in Sedlec.

Gradually Ossuary in the Church of All Saints in Sedlec began to take shape and become a work of art. In gratitude to his employer, Rint made the Schwarzenberg coat of arms out of bones. One of the ancestors of this family became famous for his victory over the Turkish infidels. Therefore, the Austrian emperor allowed representatives of the clan to have on their coat of arms the severed head of a Turk, whose eyes were pecked out by a crow.

All the altar crosses, all the stucco, tabernacles, flowerpots, chandeliers - everything in this chapel is made of human bones. From the pelvis, shoulder blades, ribs, skulls and others, including numerous bones of the limbs. The bones are perfectly sized and give the impression of complete sculptural compositions. Frantisek Rint was certainly very talented.

PS. It is likely that this unique creation will soon disappear; it cannot be preserved - the bones are fragile, they were bleached in quicklime, and freed from the remains of flesh. The bones are inexorably destroyed and soon the ashes will return to the cemetery, as they should be.

Ossuary in Sedlec	entrance to the ossuary in Sedlec	cross above the entrance to the Ossuary
	unique chandelier under the dome of the chapel	altar in the ossuary
	Schwarzenberg coat of arms made from human bones
Ossuary in Sedlec (Kutná Hora)		epitaph
peculiar pyramids in Kostnitsa	fragment of the pyramid in Ossuary	Rint's autograph of human bones

“decoration” of the arch vault in the ossuary	fragment of a chandelier made of human bones in the Ossuary
Ossuary in Sedlec (Kutná Hora)	fragment of a pyramid in a ossuary

Traditions of storing the bones of the dead existed and exist among different peoples. Jews, Roman Catholics, and Orthodox Christians have long used urns, crypts, and individual buildings to store skeletal remains. In many cultures, such customs symbolize the belief in life after death. Human skeletons make you feel that life is fleeting and make you think about eternal life.

Not all tourists are ready to go inside the Ossuary in Sedlec. For some it is difficult to do this for religious reasons or out of simple human fear of death. For them, the very idea that the interior of the temple is made of bones is terrible. Others, on the contrary, find the interiors made of human bones and skulls amusing and do not experience negative emotions from visiting here.

Those who decide to look at the unusual Czech church can see a lot of interesting things in it. For example, a candelabra, where all the bones of the human skeleton are used, or the coat of arms of the former owners of these lands, the wealthy Schwarzenberg nobles, lined with bones and skulls.

History of the Ossuary in the Czech Republic

In the 13th century, there was a monastery in Sedlec that belonged to the Catholic order of white monks - the Cistercians. Once the Czech king Přemysl Ottokar II sent the abbot of this monastery on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. The abbot visited the sacred Mount Golgotha ​​and brought some earth from there. When he returned home, he scattered it over the local cemetery.

In the 14th century, a terrible plague epidemic occurred throughout Europe, and people died from the disease in tens of thousands. In the next century, a large number of inhabitants died as a result of the Hussite wars. It soon turned out that there was nowhere else to bury the dead, since there were practically no places left suitable for burial.

It was then that in Central Europe they began to bury the dead a second time. The bones lying in the ground were dug up and placed in chapels - the so-called “ossuary”, and the vacated graves were again used for burials. Such a chapel in the central part of the cemetery in Sedlec was built around 1400. It was built as a Gothic temple with a special tomb - an ossuary for storing the skeletal remains of the dead.

It is known that in the 16th century in Sedlec the skeletons were dug up by a half-blind monk, whose name has not been preserved in history. He bleached bones and skulls taken from the ground and put them into pyramids. A lot of work was done, and the monk built six high pyramids from human skeletons and individual bone fragments. When the monk died, members of the monastery community locked the chapel, but did not touch the bone pyramids inside it.

At the beginning of the 18th century, the church was rebuilt. One of its walls began to lean outward, so a new entrance was added to the temple, which could strengthen the wall. In addition, the upper tier of the church was reconstructed in the Baroque style following fashion trends.

In 1794, by decree of the emperor, the Cistercian monastery was closed, and the lands of the monastery and its ossuary began to belong to the noble noble family of the Schwarzenbergs. In 1870, on their behalf, the famous Czech carver Frantisek Rint undertook to decorate the Ossuary in Sedlec with bones accumulated over several centuries. He re-bleached parts of the skeletons using bleach and created from them compositions and individual decorative elements for the interior of a Catholic church. The results of his work have survived to this day.

What can you see in the church

From the outside, the Ossuary in the Czech Republic is unremarkable. This is a Gothic, slightly gloomy temple in appearance, in which simple forms and strict lines prevail. It has arched windows and several small turrets.

But the interior decoration of the church is amazing. At the corners of the building there are piles of bones in the form of huge bells. The iconostasis, vaults and arches are lined with skeletal human remains. Vases and ceiling decorations are made from them.

In the nave of the church there is a large candelabra, which is decorated with garlands of skulls. Even the fastenings of this chandelier to the ceiling are made of bones. The monstrance in the altar and the Schwarzenberg family coat of arms, topped with a bone crown with a cross, are laid out using the same technology. Even the carver Rint made his own signature on the wall, which can be seen to the right of the entrance to the church, from bones.

Visitors to the Ossuary in Sedlec have developed several customs. One of them is to leave coins near the skulls. Since tourists from all over the world come here, the Czech church contains coins from different countries.

Useful information for tourists

The ossuary in Sedlec can be visited any day of the week. It is open from morning to evening, except Christmas Day. From November to February - from 9.00 to 16.00, from April to September - from 8.00 to 18.00, in March and October - from 9.00 to 17.00, and on Sundays - from 9.00 to 18.00.

Entrance fee: for adults – 90 CZK, for children – 60 CZK. There are discounts for families and group tickets.

Flash photography is prohibited inside the temple. If someone tries to break the rule, an audible alarm will sound.

Reconstruction of the Ossuary in the Czech Republic

Since 2014, reconstruction work has been going on in Kostnice, which will last up to 10 years. Contrary to erroneous information spread on the Internet, the entrance is open to visitors, and only places where renovations are currently underway are inaccessible.

How to get there

There are different ways to get from Prague to Sedlec. Regular buses run from Prague Florenc bus station to Kutná Hora. From Kutná Hora to Sedlec it is easy to travel by shuttle bus or walk.

Trains run from Prague Central Station (Hlavní Nádraží) to Kutná Hora every 2 hours. In about an hour they reach the main station of Kutna Hora (Kutná Hora hlavní nádražíi). From here to the Ossuary in Sedlec there are 8-seater Tourist Buses.

If you get to the church by car, then from the Czech capital you need to leave the Czech capital to the east and follow the E67 highway for about 50 km, then turn southeast - to Kolin, and after 30 km to the southwest - to Kutna Hora.