St. Barbara's Church

Kutná Hora, Czech Republic

Saint Barbara's Church is a Roman Catholic church in Kutná Hora. It is one of the most famous Gothic churches in central Europe and it is a UNESCO world heritage site. St Barbara is the patron saint of miners (among others), which was highly appropriate for a town whose wealth was based entirely upon its silver mines.

Construction of the church began in 1388, but because work on the church was interrupted several times, it was not completed until 1905. The first architect was probably Johann Parler, son of Peter Parler. Work on the building was interrupted for more than 60 years during the Hussite Wars and when work resumed in 1481, Matěj Rejsek, Benedikt Rejt and Mikuláš Parler, assumed responsibility.

The original design was for a much larger church, perhaps twice the size of the present building. Construction, however, depended on the prosperity of the town's silver mines, which became much less productive. So, in 1588, the three-peaked roof had been completed.[2]and a provisional wall was constructed. A little later it was occupied by Jesuits who gradually changed the structure into Baroque style, though parts still remain in Gothic style.

The final process of repair and completion took place at the end of the 19th century, under architects J. Mocker and L. Labler.

Originally there were eight radial chapels with trapezoidal interiors. Later on, the choir was constructed, supported by double-arched flying buttresses.

Internal points of note are the glass windows, altars, pulpits and choir stalls. Medieval frescoes depicting the secular life of the medieval mining town and religious themes have been partially preserved.

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Address

Barborská, Kutná Hora, Czech Republic
See all sites in Kutná Hora

Details

Founded: 1388
Category: Religious sites in Czech Republic

More Information

en.wikipedia.org
whc.unesco.org
www.kutna-hora.net

Rating

4.8/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby


Sedlec Ossuary (2,6 km)
Italian Court (0,5 km)
Historic Centre of Kutná Hora (0,6 km)
Church of Our Lady (2,5 km)
Kacina Palace (7,2 km)


Cesky Sternberk Castle (28,5 km)
Hrádek u Nechanic (42,3 km)

User Reviews

Oku Olgac (20 months ago)
Must visit. Tender care and wonderful architecture. Get 3-in-1 ticket at the entrance..
Oibaf Fabio (21 months ago)
I generally don't review cathedral or churches but this time it was different. I liked it so much because, compared to others Prague's churches, you can visit this one everywhere because you have access to almost every part of it. Furthermore even the outside is great and there isn't even half of Prague's tourist so it's definitely a good choice and not a waste of time.
Maxwell Chastain (2 years ago)
Beautiful church in a beautiful setting. The stained glass was worth the trip and the walk from the train station. A high amount of painted stain glass and that is not my cup of tea but the work of an artisan is always impressive.
DD Kim (2 years ago)
Beautiful cathedral inside & out. As it was not too touristy, inside the cathedral was quiet and peaceful when I entered. Loved the ceiling! There is a small gift shop next to the restroom and they sell lots of nice stuff but only accept Czech Koruna. No Euro! I saw a group of Chinese tourist arguing with the staff at the cashier due to this issue.
Sahiba Bindra (2 years ago)
Perfect view of the city from the church. The church was beautifully constructed. Open garden for sitting. Perfect place for family and friends. Perfect Attraction for tourist
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