The Art of Death - Ossuary

The Sedlec Ossuary is located in a small town in the Czech Republic called Kutna Hora, about 70 kilometers away from the capital Prague. The town is very small, with a population of only more than 20,000, but it has three world cultural heritage sites, namely St. Barbara's Church, the Church of the Assumption of Our Lady and St. John the Baptist. Lady and Saint John the Baptist) and the most eye-catching Sedlec Ossuary. Each of the three churches has its own characteristics. If you visit them at the same time, you can also choose to buy a joint ticket to save money. If you want to visit the Ossuary, the easiest way is to join a local guided tour. There are half-day tours that only visit the Ossuary; there are also one-day tours that will visit several other nearby attractions. The price ranges from more than 300 to more than 600. Depends on the length of the trip and service content. In addition, if you plan to travel independently, there are actually many options. You can take a train or bus from Prague to Kutná Hora. The train journey takes about one hour, and the bus takes one and a half hours. In terms of cost performance, taking the train It is more cost-effective. If you can book your tickets online in advance, you will save more money. Arrive at Prague Central Station (Praha Hlavní Nadrazí), take the train to Kutna Hora (Kutna Hora Hlavní Nadrazí) and get off, then transfer to the yellow train on the other side of the platform (fare included). After about 5 minutes of driving You can arrive at the destination Kutna Hora-Sedlec station. After getting off the bus, follow the signs and walk for about 7 minutes to reach the Ossuary. The location of the Ossuary was actually just a cemetery in the 11th century. Later, an abbot brought some holy soil from Jerusalem back to the cemetery and sprinkled the holy soil on the cemetery, which suddenly increased the popularity of the cemetery. It became a burial place where many dignitaries at that time competed. With the outbreak of the Black Death in the 14th century and the Hussite War in the 15th century, the number of local deaths and the demand for cemetery space continued to increase, causing the cemetery area to continue to expand. At its peak, it expanded to 3,500 square meters. More than 50,000 people are buried here. The cemetery was gradually abandoned due to disrepair over time. It was not until the early 16th century that a Franciscan monk passed by and began to renovate the cemetery and slowly moved the exposed human bones to the interior of the church. These human bones were then collected in this. Today's Ossuary has become a popular tourist attraction in the Czech Republic. When you walk into the church, you will find that the ceiling, walls, and even the huge chandelier are made of bones from different parts of the human body. There are a total of 40,000 to 70,000 human bones accumulated. In addition to building many structures inside the church, human bones have also been made into various shapes such as spires, crowns, candlesticks, and even shields. They are like works of art. This uncanny decoration technique makes people shudder. The Bone Church is smaller than expected. If you just walk around the church, you can finish it in less than two minutes. However, this exquisite decorative art is worth stopping to appreciate. Remember not to use flash when taking photos in the church, and not to touch bones to show respect for the deceased. (Photography is no longer allowed inside the church unless requested in advance)