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Saint Barbara's Church in Kutná Hora is one of the most famous Gothic churches in central Europe and it is a UNESCO world heritage site.
Kutná Hora is a city situated in the Central Bohemian Region of Bohemia, which is now part of the Czech Republic.
By 1260 German miners began to mine for silver in the mountain region, which they named Kuttenberg, and which was part of the monastery property.
St Barbara is the patron saint of miners, which was highly appropriate for a town whose wealth was based entirely upon its silver mines.
Construction began in 1388, but because work on the church was interrupted several times, it was not completed until 1905.
The first architect was probably Johann Parler, son of Peter Parler.
The original design was for a much larger church, perhaps twice the size of the present building.
The outside appearance is fascinating.
Originally there were eight radial chapels with trapezoidal interiors.
Later on, the choir was constructed, supported by double-arched flying buttresses.
Internal points of note are the glass windows, altars, pulpits and choir stalls.
Medieval frescoes depicting the secular life of the medieval mining town and religious themes have been partially preserved.
St Barbara is the patron saint of miners (among others), which was highly appropriate for a town whose wealth was based entirely upon its silver mines.
Jesuit College is a baroque building from the years 1667-1750 built according to the important Italian, acting in Prague architect Giovanni Domenico Orsi.
GASK - Gallery of the Central Region - a regional institution focused on the visual arts of the 20th and 21 century.
Hrádek - originally built as a fortified separate object, probably filled the role of guardian of the fortress above the river valley Vrchlice. The first written mention of the fortress and its owner, Herman de Castro, dates from the 1312.
Church of St. James is a gothic church in Kutna Hora. As a cultural monument of the Czech Republic is part of the urban conservation area listed by UNESCO.
The Italian Court, originally the Central Mint, it was named after the Italian experts who were at the forefront of the minting reform. The main area of the mint consisted of coin-makers-workshops, or Smithies, which were located around the courtyard, and the minting chamber, called “Preghaus”, where the Prague groschen were struck.
© pierre0068 2012