For a memorable day trip from Prague, visit the nearby town of Kutna Hora. It’s home to one of the most unique (and creepy…) sights in the world – Sedlec Ossuary, the Bone Church! Here’s my guide to visiting Kutna Hora as a day trip from Prague.
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Kutna Hora is a small town in the Czech Republic, just a couple of hours away from Prague. This small town probably wouldn’t be a top choice for travellers if it didn’t have one very unique attraction: Sedlec Ossuary, also known as the Bone Church. When you’re visiting Kutna Hora as a day trip from Prague, you can explore this truly unique and fascinating attraction. Plus, you can enjoy the rest of the town as well before it’s time to head back to Prague.
How do I get to Kutna Hora from Prague?
There are lots of companies offering a guided tour to Kutna Hora as a day trip from Prague to the Bone Church. If you want a no-hassle day trip, I recommend booking one of these day tours. They’ll take you from central Prague to all the top attractions in Kutna Hora. You can book a day trip from Prague to Kutna Hora through Get Your Guide (affiliate), or you can book this similar day trip from Prague to Kutna Hora through Viator (affiliate).
However, if you’d rather not book a day tour, you can also get to get to Kutna Hora by public transport from Prague. You can get the train from Prague to Kutna Hora. You’ll have to spend some time figuring out the train system in Prague, but you’ll have more freedom to explore and spend as long as you like there. Trains leave from the main train station in Prague. The journey only takes around an hour and you pass through some lovely Bohemian countryside. However, the downside is that Kutna Hora train station is about 2km from the centre of Kutna Hora and the key sights, so it’s a bit of a walk (around 40 minutes) or a short bus ride into the centre to start your day of sightseeing.
Book your train tickets in advance, so you can guarantee a seat, through Omio (affiliate). This website is easy to navigate in English, and you can book the train times that suit you best. Just remember to leave plenty of time to get from Kutna Hora train station to the centre and back again. If you’d rather not be trying to navigate your way from the station to the centre, then a day tour through Get Your Guide (affiliate) or Viator (affiliate) is your best option, as they’ll take you straight from Prague to the centre of Kutna Hora.
Sedlec Ossuary – The Bone Church in Kutna Hora
When you get to Kutna Hora, head straight to Sedlec Ossuary. This is the reason why most people do a day trip from Prague to Kutna Hora. Aand it’s definitely the most iconic sight in the town.
From the outside it looks just like any ordinary medium-size chapel – nothing too special but perfectly nice. But it’s the inside that is just…different.
Sedlec Ossuary in Kutna Hora is decorated with over 40,000 human bones. Real human bones. There are bones from all parts of the human body, that are arranged into various decorations inside the chapel.
The history of Sedlec Ossuary
The bone decorations in Sedlec Ossuary originate from the mid 1800s. The Church was originally built next to an area where thousands of people who had died in the Plague were buried. But then in 1870 the bones were used to decorate the chapel. And this is the result!
The bone decorations inside the chapel
The chandelier is made out of bones…it’s really impressive, in a slightly creepy way.
There’s a pile of skulls.
The Schwarzenberg family’s crest is also made from bones. It’s creepy but also fascinating and spectacular.
I found it a fascinating place to visit. It really is one of the most unique places I’ve visited in Europe. Kutna Hora is such a small town in the middle of the Czech Republic, but it has this fascinating yet creepy place to visit. The bone decorations are really impressive – I can definitely admire the artistry and creativity that went into creating such a place. But it’s still a bit creepy knowing these are all real human bones, belonging to real humans.
Other things to do in Kutna Hora
When you’ve had your fill of looking at bones, there are a few other things to do in this small town. I’ll be honest, there’s not huge amounts in Kutna Hora beyond the Bone Church. But there’s still plenty here to have a wander around in the afternoon before heading back to Prague.
St Barbara’s Cathedral
St Barbara’s Cathedral is another of the top sights in Kutna Hora. Don’t worry, there aren’t any bone decorations in this one! It’s a much more standard European cathedral.
St Barbara’s Cathedral looks much more impressive than Sedlec Ossuary from the outside. Dating back to the 14th century, but finished much more recently, this cathedral is another reminder of this region’s past wealth. It’s impressive inside as well, and definitely worth visiting.
Kutna Hora Old Town
Kutna Hora also has a really pretty Old Town. It’s nice to just wander around the cobbled streets. The Old Town here is a lot less busy than the centre of Prague, so it’s a great chance to appreciate the history and architecture without the crowds of tourists that you get in central Prague. And there are plenty of cafes, bars and restaurants to stop for a beer or two as well.
Jesuit College
Built in the early 18th century, the Jesuit College is now an art gallery. I didn’t have time to go inside, but I enjoyed seeing it from the outside. It’s really pretty to just walk along outside, past the stone statues of Saints lining the wall. It was a nice way to end my Kutna Hora day trip from Prague before it was time to head back.
Enjoy your time in Kutna Hora as a day trip from Prague to the Bone Church! Remember to check out this tour to Kutna Hora from Prague (affiliate) or this day trip from Prague here (affiliate). Or book your own train tickets through Omio (affiliate).
Make sure you also check out my guide to the best things to do in Prague in 2 days, and also Prague at Christmas. If you’re looking for more fun things to do in central Europe, check out my guide to a weekend in Berlin, or spending time in Vienna.
