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A gorgeous medieval town
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In the 13th and 14th centuries, Kutna Hora became the financial center for the Czech kingdom and its second most important city after Prague. At the end of the 14th century, it had a population equal to London`s. Much of the town`s wealth went towards the development of Prague, but some also went to the construction of a number of impressive buildings in Kutna Hora itself. The oldest is the church of St. James (Sv. Jakub), though it pales in comparison to the Cathedral of St. Barbara, one of the grandest in Central Europe. Dedicated to St. Barbara, patron of miners, it was probably begun in 1380 and and completed in 1420. The town also features a number of other churches, a former Jesuit College, an Ursuline convent and a Cistercian monastery.
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Near the center of town, this beautiful house. Kutna Hora really is this quaint and lovely.
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| Here I am with Jakub's mother and sister...Jana and Barbara. We had such a great time that day being silly and touristy. When we got cold, we ducked into a sweet shop for hot chocolate and some of the best desserts I've ever had. |
At Vlassky Dvur, or "Italian Court." It was an old silver mint. There's a nice little tour through the building and the guides speak several languages.
"The silver mines in the area became so rich that, at the very beginning of the 14th century, Czech King Vaclav II named Kutna Hora a royal town and instituted a currency reform, closing all other mints in the country. With the aid of Italian craftsmen, he founded a royal mint there that produced the Prague groschen, a coin used throughout central Europe into the 19th century. He also began construction on a palace here, though it was later used as a royal mint. Its name, Italian Court, reflects the influence of the minters from Florence. In the 13th and 14th centuries, Kutna Hora became the financial center for the Czech kingdom and its second most important city after Prague."
A gold-encrusted chapel inside Vlassky Dvur
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| The Jesuit College at Kutna Hora, and a view of St. Barbara's Cathedral |
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