Kutna Hora, Czechia · Czech Republic
Sedlec Ossuary Kutna Hora - The Chapel Made of Bones
On the edge of a small Czech town, a modest Gothic chapel is decorated with human bones. Here is why they are there, who arranged them and how to plan a calm, unhurried visit.
Published October 15, 2026
On the edge of a small Czech town stands a modest Gothic chapel. Inside, the decoration is made from human bones. Skulls form garlands across the vaults, and a chandelier hangs from the ceiling built from the remains of many people. The **Sedlec Ossuary Kutna Hora** draws visitors from all over the world, yet it is first a consecrated place of remembrance, not a spectacle.
This guide explains why the bones are there and who arranged them. It also covers the silver town around the chapel and how to plan a calm, unhurried visit.
Why Is There a Chapel Made of Human Bones?
The Sedlec Ossuary is the crypt of the Cemetery Church of All Saints, and it holds the remains of tens of thousands of people buried in the graveyard around it. That is the short answer. The longer one begins with the Cistercian abbey of Sedlec, one of the oldest in Bohemia. According to tradition, an abbot returned from the Holy Land with a handful of soil from Golgotha and scattered it over the abbey cemetery. Burial in that blessed earth became a wish shared by families across Central Europe.
Then came plague epidemics and long wars. The cemetery filled far beyond its capacity, and older graves were opened to make room. The exhumed bones were stored in the chapel below ground. Estimates of how many people rest there vary widely, often between forty and seventy thousand. Nobody knows the exact figure.
This is the heart of **Sedlec ossuary history**. These were ordinary people, monks, townsfolk, plague victims and soldiers. The **bone church Czech Republic** travellers search for is, above all, their grave.
Who Arranged the Bones and What Will You See Inside?
For centuries the bones lay in heaps. In the nineteenth century the Schwarzenberg noble family, who owned the former abbey lands, hired a local woodcarver to bring order to them. His name was Frantisek Rint, and he signed his work in bone on a wall near the stairs. Look for it on the way in.
The arrangement follows the idea of **memento mori**, the Christian reminder that life is short and every person meets the same end. Nothing here is meant to shock.
The centrepiece is the **bone chandelier**, said to contain every bone of the human body at least once. Around it you will see garlands of skulls, bone chalices, a monstrance and large pyramids of remains in the corners, protected behind grilles. Near the exit, the Schwarzenberg coat of arms is rendered entirely in bone, down to a raven pecking at a Turkish head.
The space is small. Voices carry. Visitors keep their tone low, and the photography rules posted at the entrance apply to everyone.
What Else Is in Sedlec Besides the Ossuary?
A few minutes on foot from the chapel, the Cathedral of the Assumption of Our Lady and St John the Baptist rises above the rooftops. It once served the Cistercian abbey. After damage during the Hussite wars, the architect Jan Blazej Santini restored it in a distinctive Baroque Gothic style.
The interior is bright and white, a calm contrast to the ossuary. Pale walls and tall windows fill the nave with light. The ribbed vaults look medieval at first glance, then reveal playful Baroque curves when you look again.
This church is part of the **UNESCO World Heritage** listing that also covers the historic centre of Kutna Hora. The [UNESCO World Heritage Centre](https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/732) explains how the abbey and the old town together tell the story of a wealthy medieval mining community. It is the bridge between the chapel and the rest of your day.
Why Was Kutna Hora Once So Rich?
Kutna Hora grew rich because of **silver mining**. In the Middle Ages the hills under the town held some of the largest silver deposits in Europe, and Bohemia's kings struck their coinage here. The Italian Court, or Vlassky dvur, housed the royal mint, where the Prague groschen was produced and circulated across the continent. That wealth paid for stone churches, grand burgher houses and a cathedral far larger than a town of this size would normally build. When the mines ran low, the money faded, and Kutna Hora slowed into a quiet provincial town. Its medieval core survived largely because nobody had the funds to rebuild it. That preserved centre, the abbey at Sedlec and the cathedral of the miners form a single heritage site that explains how one metal shaped a whole region.
For the underground side of the story, the Hradek Czech Museum of Silver runs guided routes through a medieval mine gallery. Bring a layer, as it stays cool below ground.
Is the Cathedral of St Barbara Worth the Walk?
Yes. **St Barbara Cathedral** is the reason many people cross town. Miners and townspeople funded it themselves, rather than waiting for a bishop or a king, and dedicated it to the patron saint of miners. Building stretched over centuries.
From the outside, its tent-like roofs and flying buttresses look almost weightless. Inside, the vaulting spreads overhead like a stone net. Side chapels still hold wall paintings of miners at work and coins being minted, small scenes most visitors walk straight past.
The approach is half the pleasure. Barborska street leads from the Jesuit College to the cathedral along a balustrade lined with Baroque statues. The valley opens out below, with orchards and red roofs. Take this walk slowly, ideally after visiting the Italian Court.
How Do You Visit as a Day Trip From Prague?
A Kutna Hora **day trip from Prague** is easy by train. Services leave from Prague's main station, sometimes direct and sometimes with a change, so check timetables with [Czech Railways](https://www.cd.cz) before you set out.
The main station sits in the Sedlec district, close to the ossuary. The old town and St Barbara lie on the other side of Kutna Hora. You can reach the centre by a short local train hop, a local bus or a walk of around an hour at a gentle pace.
A good flow for the day:
- Start with the ossuary early, when it is quieter.
- Continue to the Sedlec cathedral nearby.
- Head into the old town for lunch and the Italian Court.
- Finish at St Barbara and the Barborska viewpoint.
Opening days and ticket rules change through the year. The [official tourism office](https://www.kutnahora.cz) lists visitor information for the town's main sights. Wear comfortable shoes for the cobbles, and cover your shoulders for the churches. Spring and autumn are pleasant seasons, with milder weather and fewer groups. Find a traditional pub in the old town for a plate of goulash or roast pork with dumplings, then take the walk back to the station.
Ready to Plan Your Own Day in Kutna Hora?
Create your own itinerary with Keptour, adding the places that catch your eye, arranging them into days and sharing the plan with whoever is coming along. The ossuary leaves a quiet impression that stays long after the train ride home. The silver town around it rewards slow wandering, and a well-paced day lets both sit side by side.