Kutná Hora is one of the most interesting and unique historic sites of the Czech Republic. It is known as Kuttenberg in German and literally means “The Diggers‘ Hill“ in both languages . It lies approxaimtely 60 miles, to the south east of Prague, the heart of the Czech Republic. With an altitude of 833 feet above sea level, it is found in the valley of the river Vrhlice. Local legend states that Kutná Hora was once a deep forest. A young monk named Antoň from a nearby monastery in Sedlec came out in 1237 for a walk in the forest. Tired from the long walk, he fell asleep in the mossy thorn. When he woke up, he saw three silver rods in front of him. Antoň knelt to thank God for finding such a rare gift from nature. The monk left his hooded cloak (kutna) to mar the precious place and ran to the monastery to report to the abbot. The discovery of the silver deposit began to spread and people came to the site and began building huts. The settlement was named after Antoň’s cloak—kutna—Kutná Hora. Kutná Hora was founded in the 13th Century during the European silver rush by the Přemyslids Czech royal dynasty, hungry for silver. As the name of the city suggests, its history is related to the extraction and melting of silver ores in the area. In the High Middle Ages, around one third of silver production in all of continental Europe was provided by this town. Kutná Hora became so rich that its wealth could be compared to that of Prague, Rome, Venice, Paris or Constantinople. It was dubbed the “Athens of Bohemia.” Silver was probably present also on the surface in the formof nuggets. In the 10th century, silver dinars were minted on the nearby Slavonic hill of Malino. Silver mining may have been linked to the founding of the Cistercian monastery in neighboring Sedlec, the first one in Bohemia. The Sedlec Monastery was founded in 1142 by Miroslav of Cimburk, a prominent courtier of Prince Vladislav II. Monks from Waldsassen in the Upper Palatinate became the first residents there, an order of monks dedicated to mining. This could explain why it was—against common order practice –based in a region already populated and cultivated. The monastery originally owned the lands on which the town, as well as a number of nearby villages, later grew. When the town’s wealth was at its peak, a number of Gothic monuments were built. Some buildings were the royal mint, a town hall, the Italian court, a number of burgher houses, the St. Bartholomew church, and the Cathedral of St. Barbara, foundation of which was laid by the Holy Roman Emperor and Czech King Wenceslaus IV in 1388. This dominating structure of the town is on the highest peak of the hilltop, and its poignant gothic spires and flying buttresses are visible from afar. This symbolized the town’s competition with the kingdom’s capital, Prague. Thanks to all these monuments, Kutná Hora became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992. Aside from these landmarks, travelers can also visit the preserved medieval mining shafts and many other monuments – including a survived and restored synagogue from 1902 ( a great spot for kosher tours to visit) – as well as its close proximity from Prague make it an ideal day trip destination.
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