Sedlec Ossuary (Kostnice Sedlec) is a fascinating chapel often called the Church of Bones. It is famous for the weird and wonderful ornamentations, which are handcrafted from the skeletal remains of about 40,000 humans. See the unusual artwork, including chandeliers, chalices, crosses and garlands that adorn the chapel and basement of the Church of All Saints.
Learn about the history of the ossuary. It dates back to the late 1200s, when Abbot Henry of Sedlec brought holy soil from Jerusalem and created a sought-after cemetery. The cemetery grew rapidly during the 14th and 15th centuries as a result of deaths caused by the plague and the Hussite Wars. The Church of All Saints was built about 1400 and its basement chapel was used to store exhumed bones. In 1870, the House of Schwarzenberg commissioned the woodcarver František Rint to turn the bones into ornaments.
Look up to see garlands of leg bones and skulls strung between arches and vaulted ceilings. See multiple pyramids of skulls, sculpted bells, chalices, cherubs and a pair of monstrances. In the center of the chapel hangs a magnificent chandelier, which is said to feature at least one bone from every part of the human body.
Don’t miss the coat of arms of the House of Schwarzenberg. To the right of the staircase entering the basement chapel is the name of the artist spelled out using bones.
Located in the Sedlec suburb of the city of Kutná Hora, the church is about a 1-hour drive east of Prague. Get here by first taking the metro from Prague’s city center to the Háje station. From there, take a public bus to Kutná Hora and then walk for 25 minutes. Organized tours also depart frequently for the ossuary from Prague.
Visit the Sedlec Ossuary daily, except Christmas. It has an admission fee, with reduced rates for students and children. Tour other Kutná Hora attractions including the Cathedral of Assumption of Our Lady at Sedlec, Church of St. Barbara and Gallery of Central Bohemia.
