As soon as I read about Sedlec Ossuary Bone Church, located just outside of Kutná Hora, I was smitten. Visiting Sedlec Ossuary and Kutná Hora makes for an easy day trip from Prague, securing them both as fairly popular tourist destinations.
And the bone church is particularly popular; the second most visited spot in the Czech Republic after Prague. It is reported to receive over 200,000 tourists per annum – which is more than some whole countries see each year.
Despite some of the loss of love I experienced in Prague during our two recent visits due to overtourism, the Czech Republic holds a special place in my heart.
You see, for me it is the land of many firsts. It is the first Central European and former communist country I visited (and Eastern if you consider it such). I visited Terezín, my first concentration camp and ghetto there. Lidice is the first time a dark tourism site ever truly gut-punched me. And while technically the Sedlec Ossuary was not my first ossuary (that would be the Killing Fields), it was the first time I knew the term for what I was seeing.
Just to clear this up: Sedlec Ossuary is sometimes called the Prague Bone Church and, well, it’s not in Prague. There is no bone church in Prague (although there are others throughout the country, such as in Brno). If you hear about the Prague Bone Church, it’s this one, they’re talking about Sedlec Ossuary.
So What is an Ossuary?
An ossuary is merely a room or container that holds the bones of people.
So how is it different from a coffin or an urn?
Well, an urn is for remains, not bones. But an ossuary implies it is the final resting place of more than one person, whereas a coffin is typically for one person.
Ossuaries can sometimes be synonymous with crypts and catacombs. However, both of these must be underground, while ossuaries can be above ground. Crypts also should be beneath churches, and catacombs usually extend past one room.
In the case of Sedlec Ossuary, it is an underground cemetery (a catacomb), located beneath a church (a crypt).
What a fun and confusing history lesson…
RELATED: The Important Cemeteries of Prague
The History of the Sedlec Ossuary Bone Church
According to legend, in 1278 a local abbot by the name of Henry, made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land of Jerusalem.
There he visited Golgath, or Calvary, a site just outside of Jerusalem where, according to the Gospels, Jesus was crucified.
When Henry returned, he brought back some of the sacred soil of Golgath and spread it across the cemetery grounds.
Question? Is it irresponsible tourism to take holy ground if you’re a holy man?
Well, rumour spread, as rumours are wont to do, that the Sedlec Cemetery was one of the holiest spots in Europe. People from all across Central Europe travelled to be buried there.
Throughout the 14th and 15th centuries, the country suffered great losses, mainly at the hands of the plague which brought in an estimated 30,000 bodies to the Sedlec Cemetery. Then, during the Hussite Wars (essentially the Czech/Bohemia subset of the Crusades) a further 10,000 people were buried.
Okay, but where are the bones coming from?
In the early 1400s, construction was begun on a large Gothic Church on the site of the Sedlec Cemetery. This church was to have a large ossuary beneath it in order to house the increasing cemetery inhabitants whose graves were unearthed during the building process.
In 1511, the ever-fun task of stacking the exhumed bones was given to an unknown, blind monk. He brought all of the bones into the ossuary crypt and carefully stacked them.
And there the bones remained untouched until 1870, when an aristocratic German-Bohemian family, the Schwarzenbergs, hired František Rint, a local woodcarver to transform the bones into something beautiful.
We think he succeeded, although this is probably debatable. Certainly the famous chandelier centerpiece is a thing to behold.
Although exact figures are unknown, it is believed that Sedlec Ossuary is the final resting place of between 40,000 to 70,000 bodies.
Visiting Sedlec Ossuary
The morning we leave Prague for Kutná Hora, the sun is blazing. So naturally, I illogically assume we are in for a day of decent weather.
But this is Europe.
By the time we arrive at the Kutná Hora train station, the ground is coated in snow.
“Fuck.” I whisper, slipping as we trudge up the not-at-all steep incline leading away from the train station. Somehow parts of the sidewalk are already iced over. No matter the traction on one’s shoes, iced roads are not my friend.
Jeremy flails gracefully as he slips on a small ice patch. I snicker and immediately fall over. Karma is a bitch.
Luckily, the ice lets up at that point, because from there it’s smooth sailing … er, walking. The snow continues to fall, though the closer we get to Sedlec Ossuary, the less of it we see.
As we round the corner to the church, I mentally prepare myself for a large crowd. Although secretly, I am hoping the snow deters other tourists. Knowing this is one of the top Czech tourism destinations, and given our somewhat forced need to get off the beaten track in Prague, I am aware that this place could be crawling.
Thankfully it is not. Though it is by no means empty.
Inside Sedlec Ossuary
Once inside, we purchase our tickets, and immediately find ourselves face to face with bone structures. All of the walls within are covered with bone fixtures. To our right is the signature of František Rint, written with bones.
To our left, a tiny souvenir shop selling small plastic skulls, postcards and other memorabilia.
As we descend the stairs, I am quite surprised by how small the ossuary is. It is remarkable just how little space the skeletal remains of 40,000+ people take up. Turns out a large crypt is more than sufficient.
In the centre of the room are four columns of skulls, each topped with cherubic angels. In the middle of the columns, attached to the ceiling is the giant bone chandelier. Nearly everyone in the room has their camera pointed up at it from every different angle.
To the sides are blocked of stacks of skulls. Hanging in front of one is the Schwarzenberg family crest.
“This is very cool,” Jeremy says, nudging me as we both stand in the crypt looking around wide eyed.
Sedlec Ossuary as Dark Tourism
If the popularity of places like Sedlec Ossuary and the Paris Catacombs prove anything, it is that we as humans are fascinated by – and maybe a little obsessed with – death. Or maybe it is with our own mortality. It is clearly not just traditional dark tourism sites like Auschwitz and Chernobyl that hold our interest, otherwise Sedlec Ossuary wouldn’t be one of the top tourism destinations in the Czech Republic.
And there’s nothing wrong with that so long as the sites we are visiting are ethical, and we are respectful of our surroundings.
Unlike more recent sites of mass tragedy, Sedlec Ossuary is not as shrouded in somberness. There is a considerable degree of separation between modern day and plague victims of the 1200s. But most of the people within, still died tragically, so be respectful. Don’t touch the bones, and definitely under no circumstances steal them! Pay your respects, but don’t feel bad if your friend tells a joke and you laugh a little.
RELATED: Why Dark Tourism Matters (According to a Dark Tourist)
And, if you’re positively dying to get a photo next to a pile of bones, please, please, please do it here and not at the Killing Fields (although I still don’t know why you need one). Note: I did not say a selfie that includes touching or interacting with the bones in any way.
Sedlec Ossuary is open everyday except December 24-25. It isn’t stated, but I would not expect it to be open on any other bank holidays, like Easter). At the time of our visit (and writing) the cost is 90 Kč ($4) for adults and 60 Kč ($2.60) for students.
Please check their website for up-to-date opening times and prices.
IMPORTANT UPDATE: As of 2020, visitors will need to apply in advance to take photos/film, otherwise it is prohibited. This is due to the increased amount of people being absolute dicks while visiting Sedlec Ossuary. So basically, I take back everything I said, and this is why we can’t have nice things.
Getting from Prague to Kutná Hora and Sedlec Ossuary
If you want to take a day trip from Prague to the bone church there are a few options. It depends what you hope to visit. Are you just looking to visit Sedlec Ossuary, like us? Do you want to explore more of the town of Sedlec? Or do you hope to visit Kutná Hora, as well? Regardless of your intentions, here’s how you do it:
By Train
Buses leave approximately every two hours from the main train station in Prague, Hlavní Nádraží, to Kutná Hora Hlavní Nádraží (h.l.)
Tickets cost around 100 Kč ($4.40) and the train takes 40 minutes. Check times here.
From the Kutná Hora h.l. train station, it is about a 15 minute walk to Sedlec Ossuary. The walk is very straight forward. Out of the station, turn right. Follow the road along until you merge onto the main road of Vítězná. Then stay on Vítězná until you reach a rather large cathedral on your left.
This is called the Cathedral of Assumption of Our Lady and St. John the Baptist. When you reach the cathedral, cross the road and turn right onto Zámecká. From there you can just walk straight until you reach the ossuary.
If you are planning to go into Kutná Hora city centre, it is a further 20 minute walk from Sedlec Ossuary. Alternatively, there is a tourist bus, which goes between the Kutná Hora h.l. train station, Sedlec Ossuary and the Church of Saint Barbara in the town of Kutná Hora.
Alternatively, you can go directly there from the train station via the tourist bus, by train connection to Kutná Hora město – make sure you buy a ticket to město not Hlavní Nádraží while in Prague as you will need to connect, OR you can take bus number 1, which leaves regularly from outside the train station.
FYI: Although trains do go direct to Kutná Hora h.l. more frequent trains go via Kolin.
By Bus
If you only intend to visit Sedlec Ossuary, I do not recommend the bus as it takes you directly into Kutná Hora town centre.
But, if you want to see Kutná Hora, which is meant to be very picturesque, then the bus leaves Prague Háje Station every hour. The bus takes 1 hour 40 minutes and costs around 70 Kč ($3). Check times here.
By Tour
Although we did not go with a tour, this is another great way to see Kutná Hora and the Sedlec Ossuary. But tours aren’t for everyone. Here are some pros and cons to consider:
Pros:
- The tour company will organise all the transport for you. Sometimes they even pick you up from your accommodation and arrange meals.
- You will be told about all the fascinating history, often with a personal touch.
- There is potential to meet some other cool people either on the tour, or to bond with your tour guide.
- As you’ll be with a local you can ask any burning questions you have about culture or history in the Czech Republic, as well as local recommendations.
Cons:
- You’re not on your own time. Tours can sometimes feel a bit rushed and you may not get to spend as much time as you would like in a place.
- If you’re not so keen on riding around all day with strangers, but can’t afford a private tour… well, there are other people.
- It is more expensive to go with a tour, private or otherwise.
If tours are the way for you, then here are a few to consider!
– Kutna Hora UNESCO Site Tour with Bone Chapel from Prague
– Great Bohemian Excursion to Kutná Hora from Prague
– Sedlec, Žleby, and Kutná Hora: Full-Day Private tour
– Sedlec, Kačina Chateau, and Kutná Hora Private Day Tour
LOOKING FOR MORE DARK DAY TRIPS FROM PRAGUE?
– A Haunting Visit to the Lidice Memorial Park
– Revisiting the Terezin Propaganda Camp
WANT TO SEE MORE OF PRAGUE’S DARK SIDE?
– Heydrich Terror Memorial
– Dark History Sites in Prague
– The Legend of the Prague Golem
– Ultimate Macabre Guide to Prague
Have you been to Sedlec Ossuary? Or anywhere else like it? What other ossuaries, crypts or catacombs would you recommend? Let us know in the comments!
