262 CENTRAL EASTERN EUROPE
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp288–91 and pp292–5
. Vault
The central nave,
with its magni ficent
geometric vaulted
ceiling, was
designed in the
early 16th century
by Benedikt Ried. It
incorpo rates coats
of arms from local
crafts guilds.
Cathedral’s Front Façade
In 1388, German architect
Peter Parler planned this
five-aisled building, with
three tented spires.A rich source of silver between the 13th
and 18th centuries, Kutná Hora was the
second most important town in Bohemia,
after Prague. Its wealth funded many
beautiful buildings, including St Barbara’s
Cathedral (sv Barbora); the Italian Court
(Vlašský Dvůr), which housed the royal
mint and later the Town Hall; the 14th-cen-
tury Church of St James (sv Jakub) and the
15th-century Stone House (Kamenný Dům).
Since 1995 the historic centre of Kutná Hora
has been on the UNESCO Cultural Heritage
List. Located to the northeast of the centre
is the suburb of Sedlec, home to an extraor-
dinary ossuary where bones accumu lated
over cen turies were put together by carver
František Rint in 1870 to form crosses, a
coat of arms and a chandelier.
Kutná Hora 3
Organ
The Baroque organ
case dating from 1740–
60 hides a much newer
mechanism installed in the
early 20th century by local
organ maker Jan Tuček.ST BARBARA’S CATHEDRAL
Dedicated to the patron saint of miners, St Barbara’s
Cathedral is one of Europe’s most spectacular Gothic
churches. Both the interior and exterior are richly
ornamented, and the huge windows ensure it is filled
with light. Many of the side chapels are decorated
with interesting frescoes, some of which depict
miners at work and men striking coins in the mint,
reflecting the sources of the town’s wealth.STAR FEATURES. Vault
. High Altar