Prague - Day Three - Kutna Hora

Having conquered most of Prague, we chose to use our third day invading the outlying village of Kutna Hora. This involved going down to the main train station and attempting to figure out the timetables, followed by an apprehensive trip through the crumbling ex-soviet countryside in trains that grew smaller and smaller. I do like to make it sound rather more intrepid than it really was, but our eventual arrival after stepping off our tiny train onto the railway tracks outside a small shed that passed for the station was further from modern civilisation that I have been in quite a while.

[caption id="attachment_1006" align="aligncenter" width="620" caption="A beautiful synagogue we passed on the way to the station"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1007" align="aligncenter" width="620" caption="Arrival at Kutna Hora"][/caption]

Despite its crumbling outskirts, Kutna Hora is a rather lovely and functional little town with a long and colourful history and some very friendly and accommodating locals. When we eventually found our way into the information centre we were given a friendly run-down of all the best places to see. Thus armed, we stepped out to have lunch in an old and atmospheric beer hall.

[caption id="attachment_1008" align="aligncenter" width="620" caption="The lovely and cosy beer hall"][/caption]

 

The reason for the almost deserted streets of the town became obvious as we realised they must all be sheltering in the warm of gorgeous pubs like this one. I was served up a very generous plate of assorted meat and Kristen had a very sufficient meal of wild boar in plum sauce. You would think we would be getting sick of these meat-heavy meals by now, but I shouldn't need to remind anyone how cold it was outside.

[caption id="attachment_1009" align="aligncenter" width="620" caption="Wild boar in prune sauce"][/caption]

Fortified against the chill, we strode along past the old silver mines to a cathedral towering over the river valley below. The inside of the cathedral was beautiful, but also very grim in a way that I felt befit central Europe. The whole place was a bit of a medieval boom town as it sat upon one of the richest sources of silver at the time.

[caption id="attachment_1010" align="aligncenter" width="620" caption="Looking down the valley"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1011" align="aligncenter" width="620" caption="The statue lined boulevard leading to the cathedral"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1012" align="aligncenter" width="620" caption="A wide shot of the cathedral"][/caption]

One of the main and most exciting reasons for our visit was the see the bone chapel, or ossuary in the North side of Kutna Hora. Inside of the small chapel are the remains of some 40,000 people, their bones piled into pyramids and crafted into a chandelier, a coat of arms and various ornaments around the room. It was unlike anything that I have ever seen before, which it makes it worth the entire trip to the Czech Republic on its own for me!

[caption id="attachment_1013" align="aligncenter" width="620" caption="The bone chapel"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1014" align="aligncenter" width="620" caption="A coat of arms. I love the bird pecking the skull."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1015" align="aligncenter" width="620" caption="I was in absolute awe"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1016" align="aligncenter" width="620" caption="A chalice of bones"][/caption]

Following our triumphant return to Prague, we settled in for dinner at a restaurant dedicated to World War 2 (from all the WW2 paraphernalia all over the walls) and had pork. More delicious, wonderful, amazing pork.

[caption id="attachment_1017" align="aligncenter" width="620" caption="Leaving to go back to Prague"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1018" align="aligncenter" width="620" caption="Another satisfying meal"][/caption]