Sedlec Ossuary: the Gothic Wonder of Thousands of Bones
Gothic architecture is often perceived as strange or even macabre. However, one of the Gothic Czech chapels located in Kutna Hora is much more than a Gothic building.
While its exterior look may not be as spectacular as others, the interior of the Sedlec Ossuary can leave anybody breathless. With an estimated amount of 70,000 human remains decorating the inside of the church, this is the second largest monument of this kind after the Paris Catacombs.
Aside from a massive chandelier made entirely of human bones and skulls, the so-called Bone Church has a history just as interesting as the building itself. Back in 1278, a local priest was sent to Jerusalem by the King of Bohemia in order to bring a piece of the Holy land to his territory.
Once the “Holy Soil” was placed on a piece of local land, everybody wished to be buried there. Two centuries later, locals built a church next to the former cemetery. In the basement of the Gothic building were human remains.
In 1870, Frantisek Rint, a local wood carver, was asked to renovate the Gothic church and to expose the human remains from the basement in an artistic way. All of the bones were bleached and arranged all over the interior of the church.
The final result was so impressive and unique that, to this day, the Sedlec Ossuary is a breathtaking objective to anybody visiting it. From chandeliers to walls and even pinnacles, the Bone Church is among the most fascinating European attractions.
Submitted by Hamid Bagha. Thank you. Photos via dailymail.co.uk
UnusualPlaces Field Notes
- Location
- Sedlec Ossuary (Cemetery Church of All Saints), Zámecká, Kutná Hora-Sedlec, Czechia
- Coordinates
- 49.96178, 15.28809
- Access
- Capacity is limited: the parish requires dated, timed tickets and says entry without a reservation is not guaranteed. Arrive about five minutes early; if more than ten minutes late, entry may be denied and the ticket time cannot be changed. During reconstruction, the chapels are reached via a temporary wooden staircase and are not wheelchair-accessible. Photography is prohibited; dress respectfully and follow cemetery and church rules.
- Admission
- The parish 2026 Sedlec Area ticket is CZK 220 adult, CZK 150 senior/student and CZK 80 child/person with disability. It covers both ossuary chapels and nearby Cathedral of the Assumption during that cathedral’s hours. Buy through the parish or Sedlec Information Centre; avoid unofficial resellers.
- Time needed
- The parish limits each lower-ossuary visit to 30 minutes. The upper chapel has no time limit; the ticket also covers the nearby cathedral during its opening hours. Allow time for timed entry and walking between buildings.
- Best season
- The parish does not designate a best season. This indoor site is open year-round on a seasonally changing timetable. Reserve a timed slot because capacity is limited; reconstruction continues while it remains open.
- Opening hours
- Parish schedule: daily 09:00–18:00 April–September; 09:00–17:00 March and October; 09:00–16:00 November–February; closed December 24. The nearby cathedral can have service-related interruptions. Check the official calendar and timed-ticket availability.
- Location checked
- 2026-10-26
- Facts checked
- 2026-10-26
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