St. Barbara's Cathedral / Chrám Sv. Barbory - Kutná Hora (Central Bohemia)
N 49° 56.696 E 015° 15.794
33U E 518886 N 5532541
Gothic cathedral-type church of St. Barbara (Chrám svaté Barbory) in Kutná Hora, the key part of town's centre medieval skyline, is not only one of the most famous Gothic churches in central Europe, but it is also the UNESCO world heritage site.
Waymark Code: WMKHHH
Location: Středočeský kraj, Czechia
Date Posted: 04/17/2014
Views: 49
St. Barbara’s is from the architectural point of view the most spectacular gothic cathedral church in the Czech Republic. It’s difficult to appreciate the splendour of the cathedral from close up, and impossible to capture it in a photograph. The intricacy of the flying buttresses, the unique tent-like sailing spires, and the marvellous cliff-top setting combine to make a visit to the cathedral an awe-inspiring experience.
In the late 1300s St. Barbara’s was founded by the rich mine owners of Kutná Hora. in an attempt to further their religious independence from the Cistercian monastery at Sedlec and compete with the grandeur of Prague’s St. Vitus cathedral. The Hussite rebellion soon interrupted their plans, however, and construction work on the cathedral didn’t resume until 1482, when the mining industry recovered.
New techniques altered the plans for the construction, and the unique shape of the spires is a product of this late 15th to early 16th century burst of construction. Financial difficulties and the eventual demise of the mining industry brought another halt to the work and it wasn’t until 1884 that the city and local archeological society found the impetus and means to continue the construction, which was eventually completed in 1905.
St. Barbara is the patron saint of miners, and many of the interior adornments reflect mining life. Stained-glass windows and frescoes depict winches, ore-trading, and medieval minting techniques, and the ceiling murals include depictions of the miners’ guild coat of arms.
St. Barbara' Cathedral as a filial church belongs to the Kutná Hora Roman Catholic parish. Services in this National hictoric monument are held every Sunday at 7:00 AM.