Foto: The Bone Church of Kutná Hora (bron: Ronald van der Veer)
Czech Republic - Today we drive to the German city of Dresden. On the way, about sixty kilometers east of Prague, we visit the Sedlec Ossuary in Kutná Hora, also known as the Bone Church. The road to Kutná Hora runs via local roads. We again drive through the rolling landscape and pass several villages. Kutná Hora is clearly a more touristy destination. In the parking lot, dozens of buses are parked. Due to its location near Prague, it is an ideal destination for a day trip from the Czech capital. An ossuary is a place where human bones are stored. At the small chapel, there is a queue of people waiting to go inside. We join the line. Inside, an estimated 40,000 to 60,000 human skulls and bones are stored. The skulls are not only stacked high but human bones have also been crafted into decorations. Garlands of skulls hang from the ceiling, candlesticks made of bones, and in the center hangs a large chandelier made of human bones. It feels so bizarre that you no longer feel like you’re looking at human skulls. It seems more like an attraction in Disneyland. Yet all the skulls are real. The nearby Gothic Sedlec church is simply furnished. The English brochure indicates that the church was built in the 13th century. Via a spiral staircase, we reach the choir of the church. A wooden walkway runs under the roof of the church. From here, we also have a beautiful view of the church’s interior. The Chapel of the Madonna, on the side of the church, stands out beautifully in Baroque style within the otherwise Gothic church. On the other side of town lies St. Barbara’s Cathedral. Especially the Gothic arches on the outside of the cathedral are very beautiful. Just as we stand by the church, the light begins to drizzle. The clouds above the church give the scene a somewhat somber atmosphere.
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