St Barbara Church, Kutna Hora – Central Europe’s Architectural Beacon
TBEX (Travel Blog Exchange) organisers had intimated I would go for the Castles and Churches Fam Trip in Central Bohemia (Czechia). I’ll be honest, the Fam attraction I was most excited about was the Bone Church in Kutna Hora. St Barbara Church did feature on my radar, only because it is an important part of the historic city centre of Kutna Hora, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
From the edge of Kutna Hora, we spotted a structure dominating its characteristic lowrise skyline. A pointy 3-tented roof with myriad embellishments around made it stand out. Enquiries revealed that was the St Barbara Church.
St Barbara Church
Rich silver mines around town made Kutna Hora wealthy. The town folk have exploited these mines since medieval times. A spurt in mining accidents prompted the town council to consider building a church dedicated to the patron saint of miners – St Barbara.
The construction began in 1388 CE. They consecrated the church in 1403 CE. The church was still under construction then and had no roof. In fact, construction went on for over 500 years and they completed the building in 1905 CE.
An assortment of reasons interrupted its construction. Like the 15th century Hussite wars, dwindling profits from the silver mines in the 16th century, lack of funds, etc. It was a blessing in disguise, as many notable architects contributed to the design of the church over the centuries. These included Jan Parler (son of Petr Parler, architect of St Vitus Cathedral, Prague), and Josef Mocker, who restored many Czech castles, including Karlstejn.
The church organ 
Cavernous nave of the church 
Church ceiling with many coats of arms
Besides its 3-tented top, many turrets, some stunning gargoyles, mythical creatures, Chimeras, demons, frogs, bats, and ornate knobbed flying buttresses surround the roof of the structure. This unique facade, in late Gothic style amalgamated with decorative baroque style, accorded a powerful inspiration to the later-day architecture of Central Europe.
Inside the church
Silver mining and coinage dominate the theme of frescoes, murals, bas reliefs, sculptures, and stained glass inside. The bright reds, sparkling greens, hues of blues, and rich purples impart the stained glass windows, exquisite vibrance. Sunlight filtering through the coloured glass adds a touch of exotic to the marble within.
The main altar is on the second floor, and that makes this church unique. The same floor houses the pipe organ. It has 4,000 pipes, and wooden angels painted in gold embellish it. That itself makes the cavernous nave look well-appointed and impressive. The paintings on the walls within bear a distinct gothic and renaissance imprint. All these details make you consider that the longer they take to complete a building, the more magnificent is the result.
While in the Czech Republic, make it a point to visit this wealthy small town. It hoards a treasure trove of Gothic-Baroque heritage, and St Barbara Church is its crown jewel.
