Kutna Hora and the Bone Church
A medieval silver town near Prague with a UNESCO Gothic cathedral - and the eerie Sedlec Ossuary, a chapel decorated with forty thousand human bones.
Updated 29 August 2026
UNESCO World Heritage
Kutna Hora grew rich on silver in the Middle Ages, rivalling Prague, and its UNESCO old town is crowned by the soaring Gothic Cathedral of St Barbara. But its most famous, and macabre, sight is the Sedlec Ossuary, a small chapel whose interior is decorated with the arranged bones of some forty thousand people, including a chandelier of every bone in the body.
What you'll find
- The Sedlec Ossuary - the bone church decorated with forty thousand human skeletons.
- St Barbara's Cathedral - the great Gothic cathedral built on silver wealth.
- The medieval old town - the wealthy silver-mining town's UNESCO centre.
- The silver-mining heritage - the museum and the story of the town's fortune.
When to go
The warm months for the full old town and easy travel; it is an easy day trip from Prague by train. The ossuary is open year-round.
Before you go
The bone church is small and can be crowded and quickly seen, and it is genuinely macabre, so it is not for the squeamish or young children. The old town and cathedral are a fair walk from the ossuary. It is a half-day from Prague.
Nearby
Prague is an hour away; the Central Bohemian countryside spreads around.
What to pack for Kutna Hora and the Bone Church
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
- Comfortable walking shoes - Sightseeing means kilometres of pavement and cobbles daily. Find on Amazon
- Modest clothing - Shoulders and knees covered - the single most common requirement. Find on Amazon
- A slim anti-theft daypack - Zips that close properly; keep it in front in crowds and on transit. Find on Amazon
- A scarf or shawl - To cover the head or shoulders on entry; women especially at mosques. Find on Amazon
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