Kutná Hora in a day

Maybe A and I were born under a wandering star. We take every opportunity we can to satiate our hunger to explore. Now that spring has finally arrived in the Czech Republic, we are revved up for some adventure so off we went to Kutná Hora last Saturday as it was a beautiful sunny day. We just couldn‘t spend a day like this staying at home.

Kutná Hora is a town not far from Prague. It’s easy to get there. Just take a train from the main station (Hlavní Nadrazí) to Brno. It’s the second stop, right after Kolín. Return fare is around 200kč or 5euros. The town is under UNESCO World Heritage list.

I’ve passed by Kutná Hora on the train from Prague to Brno and back so many times before. I thought the town was the one visible from the station but it’s actually on the other side. If you‘re traveling independently, be prepared for an amount of walking before you’d even reach the center. It’s wise to buy a map of the town before going there. And please, no high heels for the girls. I saw a couple of tourists strutting in probably designer heels. I have five words to say about this: Be kind to your legs.

OUR STOPS:

Sedlec Ossuary- what can I say, this is one of the most bizarre art displays I’ve seen in my entire life. Imagine 40,000 real human bones arranged in the most fascinating patterns! A didn’t go inside because he’s already seen it some years ago. I chickened out in taking some pictures maybe because of the additional fee of 70kč if you bring a camera inside, and also because it was really strange for me being surrounded with thousands of human bones. In the once sleepy town in Surigao, the Philippines, where I grew up, it was believed by some people that a soul wont rest in peace unless its bones will be properly buried in a cemetery. If there was a bit truth in that, imagine 40,000 restless souls inside the walls of this tiny church.

Museum of Alchemy- I’ve never been into the subject of alchemy unless we talk about Paolo Coelho’s book which I’ve read a couple of times. A is curious about it and his curiosity brought us to the most interesting place in town. (At least for me.) The museum is located right at Palackého Náměstí where restaurants, hotels, cafes and souvenir shops are lining up along the square. Underground is where you can explore some of 14th or 15th (I don’t really trust my memory when it comes to numbers.) century relics of alchemy. The most memorable part was the “gaol at the bowel of the earth“ where failed alchemists would “reside“ for God knows how long. Trust me, you’ll never want to be in this room especially if you’re as claustrophobic as I am. Upstairs, on what might be the second or third floor, (here I am again, unsure of the right number) is the prayer room. It was where the resident alchemist would pray before going on a task. Etched in stone was the prayer of the Alchemist Hermes. Maybe I will post a copy of that prayer sometime soon.

Note: If I didn’t get the facts right, feel free to correct me. But please, be kind in your words. There are enough headaches in this world...

Another stop we had was at St Barbara’s Cathedral. We just admired the church’s facade and took a couple of pictures. We also checked out Hrádek Mining Museum but again didn’t go in to explore. They required suitable clothing for going on fours as you explore its medieval mining shafts and tunnels but A was wearing leather shoes and his one and only pair of expensive designer jeans. Crawling was definitely a no-no for him at that time. Of course I didn’t go in, either, being a certified claustrophobic that I am. Škoda, sayang, a pity. :)

We also paid a visit to these other two main attractions: the Stone House at Václavské Náměstí and the Fountain which they call Kamenná Kašna. When the day was winding down, we ate at this Italian Pizzeria where service was quick and the pizza was good. Sunset was spent sitting at the pond quite far from the center. We took the train back to Prague at 7pm.

Do I recommend Kutná Hora as a place to visit? Yes, if you are all for artistic and historical sights. But if you are like me and A, who are more into communing with Mother Nature, then it is probably not the place for you.