Kutná Hora

Did You Know?

• The name Kutná Hora may derive from the Middle High German word kutte ('pit') or from the Czech words kutit ('to work') or kutat ('to mine').
• The Vrchlice Stream flows through the town.
• Kutná Hora is served by four railway stations: Kutná Hora hlavní nádraží, Kutná Hora město, Kutná Hora předměstí and Kutná Hora-Sedlec.

History

Archaeological evidence indicates Celtic settlement around the Kaňk hill during the Hallstatt and La Tène periods. In 1981, ceramic finds from the 5th–1st century BC were uncovered at a site between Libenice and Kaňk, including a smelting furnace with 10 kg of slag containing traces of pyrrhotine, chalcopyrite, sphalerite and copper, suggesting early underground mining. Silver dinars from 985–995 were found in Malín, now part of Kutná Hora. The Sedlec Abbey, the first Cistercian monastery in Bohemia, was founded in 1142 by monks from Waldsassen Abbey in Bavaria. The discovery of silver near Sedlec resolved the abbey's economic troubles and attracted settlers, especially from German-speaking regions. Silver mining began in 1260. The first written mention of Kutná Hora (as Mons Cuthna) dates to 1289. In 1300, King Wenceslaus II issued the mining code Ius regale montanorum, governing administrative and technical aspects of mining. Shortly after 1300, the town became the seat of the central mint for the Czech lands, where Prague groschen were minted. Kutná Hora grew into the second most important town of the Kingdom of Bohemia after Prague and its main financial centre. In December 1402, King Sigismund attacked the town during his conquest after the imprisonment of Wenceslaus IV. After several skirmishes, Sigismund prevailed and forced the defenders to march to Kolín and kneel in subjugation. On 18 January 1409, King Wenceslaus IV signed the Decree of Kutná Hora, granting the Czech university nation three votes in Prague University elections against one for the other three nations.

Economy

A tobacco products factory was established in Kutná Hora in 1812 on the site of the former Cistercian monastery in Sedlec. Cigarette production began in 1882. Since 1992, the factory has been owned by Philip Morris ČR, a subsidiary of Philip Morris International, employing more than 800 people. The largest employer headquartered in Kutná Hora is Foxconn Technology CZ, a manufacturer of electronic components with over 1,500 employees.

Sights

The historic town centre has been protected as an urban monument reservation since 1961, the fourth largest in the Czech Republic with an area of 61 ha. In 1995, the centre, including the Sedlec area, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The most valuable monuments, protected as national cultural monuments, are the Church of Saint Barbara and the Italian Court. The town centre contains more than 300 other cultural monuments. In 2023, the Sedlec area and the Church of Saint Barbara received 290,000 and 250,000 visitors respectively, making them the second and third most visited sacral monuments in the Czech Republic after Svatá Hora in Příbram. Since 2026, the Church of the Assumption of Our Lady and Saint John the Baptist in Sedlec and the Sedlec Ossuary have also been protected as national cultural monuments. The Italian Court, built in Gothic style between 1260 and 1300, is the oldest monument in Kutná Hora. Originally part of the town's fortifications, it became the royal mint in 1300, operating until 1727. In the 1380s, an additional building was added as a royal residence. The complex includes several buildings, the youngest constructed from 1893 to 1898 under architect Ludvík Lábler, while the most valuable part was preserved. The Chapel of Saints Wenceslaus and Ladislaus, from around 1400, is of particular value.