I spent a day in Kutná Hora and would now love nothing more than to retire there.
I can practically see the episode of “House Hunters International” now.
“Maggie Stanton is a retired public relations practitioner looking to settle down from the hustle and bustle of the last 40 years. And Kutná Hora, about an hour from Prague, is where she wants to be. Can her realtor find her the charming A frame of her dreams? Or will she get carried away by her bizarre desire to have an outdoor pool even though almost every day is winter here?
It practically writes itself.
Realistically, if you can, I’d recommend at least a few hours in Kutná Hora. It’s peaceful, stunning, and delightful. It reminded me of my trip to Giverny when I was in Paris.
Seriously, go.
Stop #1 on our day of adventure was to the famous Sedlec Ossuary, or Bone Church. The story goes that burial space was limited in the 17th century, so older remains were exhumed and used for decor. No one is 100% sure how many people are in the church, but a safe estimate is around 40,000.
The images can be a bit spooky if you’re unprepared, but it was a very cool experience.
We then made a quick stop by the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. It’s also known as the Cathedral of Light. I’ll let you guess why.
Followed by a trek to the Cathedral of St. Barbara, the patron saint of all miners. That part’s gonna be important in just a bit.
We had a couple of hours for lunch, so a few of us found a cafe where I finally tried goulash. It’s amazing, I want more. Also, the strawberry juice is tastier than it looks, I promise.
After exploring a bit of the city with a latte in hand, it was time to take on the silver mines. Silver mining is what essentially created Kutná Hora. At one point, it was a richer city than Prague. And we were going to visit what made the city so special.
The mines themselves are, uh, incredibly tiny. And dark. And several meters below civilization. It can make one a bit claustrophobic.
So I was a bit more focused on staying sane than taking pictures. Luckily, I’ve got the internet for that.
A neat experience, but one that I’m totally cool with doing once.
Then it was time to get back on the bus, but not before one of our professors had the foresight to tell us where to buy wine.
I love this place.
