Kutná Hora Back to topAttractionsMust-see attractionsSedlec Ossuary When the Schwarzenbergs purchased Sedlec monastery (2.5km northeast of the town centre) in 1870 they allowed local woodcarver František Rint to get… Cathedral of St Barbara Kutná Hora’s greatest monument is the Gothic Cathedral of St Barbara Rivalling Prague’s St Vitus in size and magnificence Czech Silver Museum Originally part of the town’s fortifications the Hrádek (Little Castle) was rebuilt in the 15th century as the residence of Jan Smíšek Italian Court East of St James Church (kostel sv Jakuba; 1330) lies the Italian Court the former Royal Mint – it gets its name from the master craftsmen from Florence… Barborská Barborská street runs along the front of the 17th-century former Jesuit College Gallery of Central Bohemia The town’s 17th-century former Jesuit College has been restored and now houses this regional gallery devoted to 20th- and 21st-century art View more attractionsArticlesLatest stories from Kutná HoraRead more articlesArt Misbehaving tourists have encouraged Czech Republic's famous Sedlec Ossuary or "Church of Bones" to enforce stricter rules around photography from next… No part of this site may be reproduced without our written permission An ordinary stroll through the countryside turned extraordinary when a woman walking near Kutná Hora in the Czech Republic stumbled upon a buried trove of silver coins dating back approximately 900 years The unexpected discovery includes more than 2,150 silver denarii each believed to have been minted in the late 11th and early 12th centuries Experts believe the hoard was originally hidden inside a ceramic vessel the remnants of which were found with the coins and buried in a remote field in the Central Bohemian Region Initial analysis suggests the coins were produced between 1085 and 1107 by Bohemian rulers Vratislav II, Břetislav II, and Bořivoj II, members of the powerful Přemyslid dynasty The denarii were likely struck in Prague using silver sourced through medieval trade networks What makes the hoard particularly intriguing is its historical context Researchers believe the cache may have been buried during a period of political turbulence and dynastic conflict within the Přemyslid family The early 1100s were marked by internal struggles for power with rival princes often fighting for control of Bohemia Theories about the hoard’s purpose include the possibility that its owner buried it because of the period's instability “At that time, there were disputes in the country between the members of the Přemysl dynasty about the princely throne of Prague,” Institute of Archaeology archaeologist Filip Velímský stated in the press release The coins could have been used “for paying wages or spoils of war.” these coins represent one of the region’s most remarkable archaeological finds in recent memory we lack data on the purchasing power of contemporary coins,” Velímský said unavailable — amount for an ordinary person It can be compared to winning a million in the jackpot.” Archaeologists are now studying the coins and registering each coin in a database Conservation efforts are underway to ensure their preservation Preliminary counts show the hoard is exceptionally well-preserved offering valuable insights into the history of medieval Bohemia The coins will be displayed publicly once analysis and conservation are complete with plans to exhibit the hoard as early as next year The find is being hailed as one of the most significant coin discoveries in the region in recent years even the most ordinary walk through the countryside can uncover remarkable links to the past Lost Treasure Unearthed: 15th-Century Coin Hoard Discovered in Scottish Border Land Echoes of an Empire: Roman-Era Coin Hoard Discovered in the Netherlands Lost at Sea, Found in the Sand: Unearthing a 500-Year-Old Shipwreck in Namibia Her captivation with collectibles began at a young age while dusting her mother’s McCoy pottery collection She admits to a fondness for mid-century ceramics Kele has a degree in archaeology and has been researching and editing in the collectibles field for many years © 2025 Active Interest Media All rights reserved Discover the long and fascinating history behind Kuttenberg a central location in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Kutná Hora in the Czech Republic – also known by its German name Kuttenberg –serves as a major location in new RPG videogame Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 and is a place of epic proportions and prospects While Kuttenberg serves as a backdrop to the medieval game the real story of this city is fascinating in its own right Kuttenberg’s incredible rise to prominence across the 14th and 15th centuries as a centre of silver mining made it one of the wealthiest and most important sites in late medieval Europe the area that would become Kuttenberg was primarily pastoral with small rural settlements and no significant urban development the area's rich veins of silver ore (which had first been located in the 10th century) were recognised for their economic potential the exploitation of this newfound resource transformed the location from a small collection of scattered settlements into a thriving hub of activity the settlement was formally brought under the control of the Bohemian crown with royal oversight ensuring that the taxes and profits from silver production directly enriched the Kingdom of Bohemia – the predecessor to the Czech Republic The silver mines were so productive that they rivalled some of the most famous mining centres in Europe This economic windfall required a steady influx of skilled labourers and the growing population rapidly transformed Kuttenberg into a bustling urban centre drawn by the promise of work and prosperity turning it into one of Bohemia’s most vital economic strongholds Kuttenberg had become second only to Prague in wealth and significance within the Kingdom of Bohemia And the silver from Kuttenberg did not merely fund local trade and development; it fuelled the ambitions of Bohemian kings on the European stage The city’s economic might was most clearly demonstrated in the production of the Prague groschen a silver coin introduced in 1300 under the reign of King Wenceslas II This stable and widely accepted currency solidified Bohemia's economic influence across central Europe and beyond Kuttenberg’s strategic importance also extended to its role in the administration of the Bohemian crown Kings and high-ranking officials frequently visited the city to oversee mining operations and the minting process Merchants and bankers from across Europe established a presence in the city ensuring that its wealth circulated far beyond its borders The economic power generated by the city allowed the crown to invest in magnificent architectural and cultural projects both in Kuttenberg itself and throughout Bohemia While Kuttenberg’s silver enriched the nobility and monarchy life for the miners who extracted it was gruelling and perilous and exposure to toxic fumes was ever-present Mining technology of the time relied on manual labour with men chipping away at rock using iron tools while wooden supports held back the ever-looming threat of collapse the promise of relatively high wages compared to agricultural work attracted labourers from across central Europe the bustling city catered to the needs of this workforce The city’s economy thrived on the wealth generated by the mines ensuring that Kuttenberg remained a hub of trade and industry One of Kuttenberg’s most prominent symbols is the Church of St Barbara a masterpiece of Gothic architecture commissioned in the late 14th century the church was a powerful proclamation of the city’s affluence and identity featuring flying buttresses and elaborate frescoes showcased the skill and ambition of its architects and builders Construction of the church stretched across centuries often delayed by economic fluctuations and warfare St Barbara’s Church remains one of the most breathtaking examples of medieval architecture in Central Europe The 15th century brought profound upheaval – and war – to Kuttenberg The rise of the religious reformer Jan Hus and the subsequent Hussite movement sparked widespread conflict throughout Bohemia who sought to reform the Catholic Church and reject its excesses found itself at the centre of these conflicts the city played a crucial role when it sided with the royalist forces against the Hussites The city became a target for Hussite attacks and its economic activity was severely disrupted by the ongoing warfare The conflict strained mining operations and trade marking the beginning of the city’s gradual decline The Hussite Wars significantly weakened Kuttenberg’s position on Europe’s stage, but even after the conflicts ended, the city faced additional challenges. The once-rich silver veins began to yield less and less, leading to a decline in production. As mining profits shrank, so too did the city’s influence and prosperity. By the late 16th century, Kuttenberg had lost much of its former dominance, overshadowed by other rising economic centres within Bohemia. Now, centuries later, Kutná Hora stands as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, renowned for its rich heritage and astonishing architecture, with interest in it no doubt revitalised by its prominence in Kingdom Come Deliverance: 2. While Kuttenberg serves as a backdrop to the medieval game the area's rich veins of silver ore (which had first been located in the 10th century) were recognised for their economic potential Medieval illustration of a siege of a caste. (Photo by: Universal History Archive/ Universal Images Group via Getty Images)Kuttenberg’s expansionBy the 14th and early 15th centuries This stable and widely accepted currency solidified Bohemia's economic influence across central Europe and beyond (Photo by Vojta/Scheufler Collection/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images)Its intricate design The Hussite Wars significantly weakened Kuttenberg’s position on Europe’s stage The once-rich silver veins began to yield less and less so too did the city’s influence and prosperity Kuttenberg had lost much of its former dominance overshadowed by other rising economic centres within Bohemia Kutná Hora stands as a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its rich heritage and astonishing architecture with interest in it no doubt revitalised by its prominence in Kingdom Come Deliverance: 2 James OsborneDigital content producerJames Osborne is a digital content producer at HistoryExtra where he writes while also conducting the occasional interview you are agreeing to site title terms and conditions and privacy policy This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply The architecture studio BYRÓ architekti has carried out a renovation project of an old house located in the old town of Kutná Hora The main objective of the project was to combine the elements of the old house with the new interventions added creating a unified whole with unexpected connections between individual spaces that open up and intertwine BYRÓ architekti has turned the spiral staircase into the main element of the project becomes a viewing space between the individual rooms thanks to the new openings in the walls The original staircase was preserved on the first two floors while a new steel staircase was installed to access the attic On the ground floor there is a playroom for the children and the service area that opens onto a small patio that was modified so that it could be accessed both from the basement and through a new terrace on the upper floor that connects to the main living room The upper floor also houses the rooms intended for the children The renovation works with light and colors using modest and muted tones on the outside and expressive colors on the inside that highlight specific spaces  Project description by BYRÓ architekti The old house in the old town of Kutná Hora has undergone numerous changes throughout its history The original medieval house burnt down completely and was replaced by a late 19th-century building that underwent extensive and not very sensitive reconstruction in the 1970s When we were approached by clients for the complete renovation project the house had essentially lost any authenticity and character The main goal was to rediscover the house's memory and original layers and seamlessly blend them with new layers to create a cohesive whole We aimed to blur the boundary between the old and the new rather than highlighting it The new interventions were meant to bring fresh impulses to the building especially through unexpected connections between individual spaces in the house with interior windows and openings with individual rooms opening up and intertwining Atmospheres and lighting moods layer throughout the building providing a variable and rich range of experiences in the house The house's leitmotif is its spiral staircase Thanks to glass block walls and other new openings leading into it the main communication core also becomes a mediator between individual rooms in the horizontal directions Between the ground floor and the upper floor while between the upper floor and the attic stays a newly designed staircase made only of steel steps allowing light to pass through to the floor below The top of the staircase is capped by a skylight bringing natural light to the stairs and deep into the layout the house's mood and character are also contributed to by its color scheme The exterior of the house is modest while the use of colors in the interior is more expressive combined with more pronounced color surfaces or accents in several specific situations The precise solution was developed carefully and over a long period with a significant role played by a dialogue with the clients Most of the furniture used in the interior is custom-made and was designed by our studio The house's layout revolves around a central staircase core that connects all of its floors The basement was practically untouched by the reconstruction and is used for storage purposes The ground floor is accessed through a spacious entrance hall there is a children's playroom with a separate bathroom and a service area of the house oriented towards the courtyard - a technical room The upper floor consists of the main living space with a kitchen a master bedroom with a separate bathroom and a workroom The attic is dedicated to the children and includes a boys' and girls' room and another bathroom with a toilet An integral part of the house is its intimate courtyard and garden which were also modified during the renovation and can be accessed both from the basement or through a new terrace from the main living area on the upper floor BYRÓ architekti. Lead architects.- Jan Holub Built-up area.- 128 sqm.Gross floor area.- 384 sqm.Usable floor area.- 297 sqm.Plot size.- 271 sqm Project year.- 2021.Completion year.- 2023 Switches and sockets.- KATY PATY.Lights.- Ideal Lux Nordlux.Door.- BDoors.Handles.- Twin.Windows and door.- Carpentry Trumm.Sanitary.- Laufen.Radiators.- ISAN.Tiles.- Archtiles.Furniture.- Hay.Fireplace.- Jøtul.Staircase skylight.- Solara.Exposed concrete interior bench.- Břetislav Eichler (DNA Design).Custom-made furniture designed by BYRÓ architekti.- Carpentry Šlajs.Steel staircase.- Locksmith Svozil Alex Shoots Buildings. BYRÓ Architekti is a Prague-based architecture studio led by Tomáš Hanus (1987) and Jan Holub (1986) whose goal is to design in such a way that each task represents a challenge They perceive architecture primarily as a matter of connections: in space Archive HOUSING a historic city renowned for its medieval architecture and silver mining heritage is celebrating 30 years of being included on UNESCO’s World Heritage list a wide range of cultural events are planned for 2025 showcasing the city's unique history and vibrant present involve collaboration from local institutions including galleries making it a community-wide effort to highlight both the city’s past and future Visitors can look forward to a year-long program filled with exhibitions also commemorates the anniversary and offers a glimpse into the city’s timeless beauty The year-long festivities will kick off with the Festival of Light in March which will illuminate some of Kutná Hora’s most historic sites this event is expected to bring the city’s architecture to life in a stunning display of creativity an exhibition titled The Stop of the Curator will run from June through September displaying contemporary art at unconventional venues like the Chapel of St One of the standout exhibitions will be Happy and Merry by artist Kateřina Šedá which will delve into the traditions of Kutná Hora’s Christmas celebrations will combine social architecture with public art providing visitors a chance to explore the city’s festive spirit in a completely new light Kutná Hora’s anniversary celebrations are not limited to art exhibitions The city’s cultural scene is brimming with events such as the A Day of Sound music festival which will take place in June at the Central Bohemian Gallery the municipal theater is reviving its classic productions to showcase local talent and keep the spirit of Kutná Hora alive on stage long-standing events like Královské stříbření—a festival celebrating the city’s silver mining history—will be held ensuring that tradition remains a key feature in the anniversary celebrations The city’s increasing appeal is further boosted by a unique new offering for fans of the historical video game Kingdom Come: Deliverance, which will see the release of its much-anticipated sequel this month Visitors to Kutná Hora can embark on one of two specially designed routes—one self-guided with QR codes and the other guided by a historian—that will take them through real-world locations featured in the game offering an immersive experience that blends historical sightseeing with modern entertainment Mayor Lukáš Seifert has highlighted the importance of UNESCO recognition for the city acknowledging the prestige it brings while also presenting challenges From navigating complex approval processes for restoration projects to managing new developments the UNESCO designation has become both a blessing and a responsibility for Kutná Hora the city anticipates that this year’s celebrations will draw in over a million visitors bringing tourism levels back to pre-pandemic numbers Your morning coffee deserves a great companion. Why not enjoy it with our daily newsletter? News from Czechia, curated insights, and inspiring stories in English. About  .  Contact  .  Donation In a picturesque countryside near Kutná Hora a woman’s casual stroll through a field unearthed a cache of over 2,000 medieval coins Recognizing the potential historical importance of her find A team of experts from the Institute of Archaeology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic descended upon the site armed with metal detectors and a keen eye for detail What they uncovered surpassed all expectations: more than 2,150 silver coins carefully minted and preserved over nine centuries these silver deniers provide valuable information about the monetary system and political landscape of medieval Europe a coin with origins in the late 7th century Frankish coinage marked the transition from gold to silver currency across the continent The coins were likely minted under the reigns of Bohemian rulers such as King Vratislav II and princes Břetislav II and Bořivoje II and probably originated from the Prague mint using imported silver director of the Czech Silver Museum in Kutná Hora highlighted the significance of these coins She said: “The coins were most likely minted in the Prague mint from silver imported into Bohemia at that time.” an archaeologist with the Institute of Archaeology described the context in which the hoard was likely buried—a period of regional instability marked by conflicts within the Přemyslid dynasty over control of the Prague princely throne This instability may have prompted someone to hide their riches possibly as war booty or payment for mercenaries possibly due to subsequent agricultural activities considered one of the largest of the past decade in the region is currently undergoing meticulous examination and documentation Experts aim to display the hoard to the public by the summer of 2025 Lenka Mazačová outlined the tasks ahead and cataloging of the coins for public exhibition Institute of Archaeology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()) Learn how to describe the purpose of the image (opens in a new tab) Leave empty if the image is purely decorative This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page The World Heritage Centre is at the forefront of the international community’s efforts to protect and preserve World Heritage partnerships for conservation Ensuring that World Heritage sites sustain their outstanding universal value is an increasingly challenging mission in today’s complex world where sites are vulnerable to the effects of uncontrolled urban development Our Partners Donate Take advantage of the search to browse through the World Heritage Centre information Kutná Hora developed as a result of the exploitation of the silver mines In the 14th century it became a royal city endowed with monuments that symbolized its prosperity which was restored in line with the Baroque taste of the early 18th century were to influence the architecture of central Europe These masterpieces today form part of a well-preserved medieval urban fabric with some particularly fine private dwellings une ville royale dotée de monuments symbolisant sa prospérité restaurée dans le goût baroque au début du XVIIIe siècle influencèrent l'architecture d'Europe centrale Ces chefs-d'œuvre s'insèrent aujourd'hui dans un tissu urbain médiéval préservé qui frappe par la richesse de ses demeures privées نشأت مدينة كوتنا هورا من استغلال مناجم الفضة، وأصبحت في القرن الرابع عشر مدينة ملكية مزوّدة بأبنية ترمز الى ازدهارها أما كنيسة سانتا باربرا التي تجسد تحفة من الطراز القوطي المزخرف وكاتدرائية السيدة في سدلك التي خضعت للترميم حسب طراز الباروك في بداية القرن الثامن عشر، فقد خلّفتا تأثيراً هاماً في هندسة أوروبا الوسطى وتندرج هذه التحف اليوم في نسيج مدني من القرون الوسطى يذهل بغنى مساكنه الخاصة 库特纳霍拉(Kutná Hora)是随银矿的开采而发展起来的。14世纪时，这里是一座皇城，城中的许多建筑都代表了其曾经的繁荣兴盛。圣芭芭拉教堂(Church of St Barbara)，是代表晚期哥特式建筑风格的一颗璀璨明珠，而塞得莱茨(Sedlec)的圣母玛利亚大教堂(the Cathedral of Our Lady)又保留了18世纪早期巴洛克风格，这些都影响了中欧的建筑风格。这些建筑杰作同城中一些精致的私人宅邸一起，向我们展现了一幅保存完好的中世纪都市画面。 Кутна-Гора развивалась благодаря эксплуатации серебряных рудников который был перестроен в соответствии со вкусами барокко начала XVIII в. оказали влияние на архитектуру Центральной Европы Эти шедевры сегодня являются частью хорошо охраняемой средневековой городской застройки включающей также много замечательных частных домов Kutná Hora debió su prosperidad a la explotación de las minas de plata de sus alrededores llegando a adquirir el título de ciudad real en el siglo XIV Entre los monumentos testigos de su riqueza figuran la iglesia de Santa Bárbara restaurada en el estilo barroco imperante a comienzos del siglo XVIII que ejercieron una influencia considerable en la arquitectura de Europa Central Estas dos obras maestras se insertan en el tejido urbano admirablemente conservado de la ciudad medieval que cuenta con algunas mansiones particulares magníficas The historic town centre of Kutná Hora with the Church of St Barbara and the Church of Our Lady at Sedlec are located in Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic Kutná Hora has developed as a result of the discovery and exploitation of the rich veins of silver ore since the end of the 13th century it became a royal city endowed with buildings that symbolized its enormous prosperity The Church of St Barbara and the former Cistercian monastery church of Our Lady and St located at a distance of approximately 1.5 km to the north-east of the historic centre were to influence considerably the architecture of Central Europe form the dominants of a well-preserved medieval town-planning structure filled with Gothic and Baroque urban fabric The most striking of Kutná Hora is the church of Saint Barbara the Gothic jewel whose interior is decorated with frescoes depicting the secular life of the medieval mining town of Kutná Hora This piece of art had a major influence on the architecture of central Europe which is at a distance of 1.5 km northeast of the historic centre was restored in the Baroque style in the early 18th century by Jan Blazej Santini he used his conception of the Baroque Gothic style which strongly influenced the history of architecture The oldest neighbourhoods Vlassky dvur (Italian courtyard which includes the southeast tower) are dating back to the early 14th century The royal chapel is Gothic and boasts a remarkable interior design we find the church of St Jacob from the 14th century whose furniture date back mostly to the end of the Gothic period The Hradek (little castle) is an interesting example of Gothic palazzetto of Central Europe which has kept both inside and outside in its original condition the historic centre of Kutná Hora reflects a very specific medieval structure of the city ground plan later with only isolated partial corrections the town retains an earlier pattern of communications predating the city's actual origin formed by the finest architectural works from Gothic and Baroque periods and the specific breathtaking Kutná Hora panorama is impressively linked to a picturesque surrounding landscape Criterion (ii): The urban fabric of Kutná Hora was endowed with many buildings of high architectural and artistic quality which had a profound influence on subsequent developments in the architecture of Central Europe Criterion (iv): The historic town centre of Kutná Hora with the Church of St Barbara and the Church of Our Lady at Sedlec constitutes an outstanding example of a medieval town whose wealth and prosperity was based on its silver mines All key elements defining the Outstanding Universal Value of the property are situated within the inscribed area The property is also protected by a buffer zone that is clearly defined and adequate Since the inscription of the property on the World Heritage List no significant changes have been made within its perimeter and there are no planned modifications for the future minor changes that have been carried out on the housing stock had neither a significant influence on its character nor any significant impact on the urban fabric and the overall layout of the town increasing pressure to develop the attics of the houses or to add floors might have a negative impact on the visual integrity of the roofscape of the town these risks are kept under control by the state heritage preservation authority partial building arrangements without significant impact on the overall character and urban structure of the town The property is of high authenticity; it is a proof that the original ground plan organism developed as a result of the exploitation of the silver mines Very few of the old fortifications have survived; as regards the rest of the historic town centre the richness of private homes is of major interest Most of the urban fabric is intact and preserves the evidence of its organic development Individual buildings survive with a remarkable authenticity degree of design and materials The facades of a number of houses feature numerous Gothic elements while others reflect an inclination to the Baroque and to the 18th century medieval as confirmed by a detailed scientific study that uncovered cellars with barrel vaults and lower floors in Gothic style of the town layout and the architectural Kutná Hora features are attested by the systematic surveys that have been carried out since the end of the Second World War The future of this level of authenticity is assured by the provisions of legislation which have strict standards designed to ensure the respect for authenticity Conservation works are being carried out in accordance with strict internationally recognized conservation criteria and with consistent use of historical materials and technological procedures the historic centre of Kutná Hora is an urban heritage reservation in the territory of which also the Church of St In accordance with the existing legislation the protective zone of the urban heritage reservation is identical with the buffer zone of the historic centre of Kutná Hora The Church of Our Lady at Sedlec is situated within this protective zone Hence both component parts of the property have the common buffer zone The Church of Our Lady at Sedlec is designated the Church of St Barbarba is classified as a national cultural monument and as such it has the highest level of heritage protection at the expense of the state The Italian Court (the former royal palace with the Mint) has the same level of protection as well as most other historic buildings in the historic centre of Kutná Hora The responsibility for the property management is shared between the Roman Catholic Church and the City of Kutná Hora conservation and presentation of the property Any actions that might affect it must be authorized by the appropriate state or local authorities The rehabilitation of the property is carried out with the support of public funding; for example the city has a good quality Programme for the Regeneration of Urban Heritage Reservations and Zones which is coordinated by the Municipality of Kutná Hora is in place and is scheduled to be updated regularly Due to the extent of the property and the complicated structure of ownership inside the property maintenance and conservation works is subject to individual programmes that are coherent with the Programme for the Regeneration of Urban Heritage Reservations and Zones Financial instruments for the conservation of the property mainly include grant schemes and funding through the programme of the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic allocated to the maintenance and conservation of the immovable cultural heritage and of areas under heritage preservation as well as financial resources allocated from other public budgets annual monitoring reports have been prepared at the national level to serve the World Heritage property manager the National Heritage Institute and other agencies involved which is now known as Kutna Hora in the Czech Republic this 15th-century bohemian city also happens to be one of the explorable cities in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 we'll be taking a look at how this city has changed The Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 release date is February 4 On February 11, 2025, Czech videogame developer Warhorse Studios will release the much anticipated sequel to their 2018 action roleplaying game Kingdom Come: Deliverance follows the events of the war between King Wenceslaus IV and Sigismund Warhorse Studios will continue the story of the first game and offer players an even richer and more realistic experience including an expanded map that brings the medieval city of Kutná Hora to life as well as a large playable area in the Bohemian countryside This realism is front and center in both games and architecture well-researched and faithfully presented Even the game’s economic system is based on the coinage of the period – and gamers might be surprised to know that many of these coins are affordable and collectible CoinWeek Ancients writer Mike Markowitz provides an important overview of those coins and the historical events surrounding their issue This deep lore undoubtedly will elevate one’s understanding of the game upon its release Ringed by mountains and threaded by rivers Bohemia lies in the heart of Central Europe Slavic ancestors of the modern Czechs migrated into this fertile land and a powerful kingdom–the “Lands of the Bohemian Crown”–emerged in the 13th century The Bohemian crown was elective (by the nobles) and the king of Bohemia was often also ruler of neighboring German A rich silver mine at Kutná Hora (Kuttenberg in German; 54 km/32 miles east of Prague) provided bullion for a successful coinage the Prager Groschen that circulated widely in Central Europe Introduced in the reign of Wenceslaus II (c the coin initially weighed 3.5 to 3.7 grams with silver content over 93% Unskilled laborers typically earned one groschen per day; skilled craftsmen might earn two the coin was down to 2.7 to 2.9 grams and was only about 61% silver (Frynas Minor coinage was provided by small crudely struck single-sided heller Fourteen hellers exchanged for one groschen Czech scholar and priest Jan Hus was burned at the stake for heresy at the Council of Konstanz[1] in southern Germany Influenced by English church reformer John Wyclif (c Hus had denounced the wealth and corruption of the Roman Catholic hierarchy advocated translation of the Scriptures into the language of the common people and insisted that Communion be offered to the faithful in both bread and wine (in Catholic doctrine only priests receive the wine that becomes the Blood of Christ in the Mass) a Hussite priest led an angry mob to storm the Town Hall in the Bohemian capital and some town councilors were thrown to their deaths from a high window This “First Defenestration of Prague” is considered the outbreak of the Hussite Wars which wracked Bohemia and surrounding lands for decades Wenceslaus IV[2] became King of Bohemia on the death of his father one of the most powerful European monarchs of his time Václav in Czech) reigned from 1387 to his death in 1419 He was also Duke of Luxembourg and titular “King of Germany” from 1376 to 1400 (failing to obtain election as Holy Roman Emperor) he was often in conflict with Bohemian nobles and his younger half-brother Sigismund Wenceslaus supported the religious reforms of Hus and his followers Used mainly for foreign trade in luxury goods gold coinage did not circulate much in Bohemia Wenceslaus issued silver groschen from the mint of Kutná Hora The obverse bears a stylized crown surrounded by the royal name and title in two concentric lines On the reverse the coin identifies itself: GROSSI PRAGENSES (groschen of Prague) inscribed around the Bohemian lion[5] The same mint issued a debased heller weighing just a fraction of a gram that bears the king’s facing crowned head on the obverse[6] Wenceslaus died without an heir on August 16 Sigismund’s complicity in the death of the priest is debated by historians He had granted Hus safe conduct and protested against his imprisonment but Church authorities insisted that promises to heretics were invalid Sigismund issued gold coins[7] from several mints to finance his war against the Hussites notably Kremnitz (Körmöcbánya in Hungarian; today Kremnica His coins bear the Bohemian lion quartered with the arms of Hungary Knowledge of heraldry (the study of coats of arms) is useful in medieval numismatics Sigismund issued a tiny (0.26 gram) anonymous silver heller bearing the head of John the Baptist (the city’s patron saint) on the obverse and the standard Bohemian lion on the reverse[9] With the encouragement of Pope Martin V (Oddone Colonna Sigismund led a series of failed “Crusades” against the Hussites Sigismund invaded Bohemia and captured Prague Led by the brilliant military commander Jan Žižka the invasion was defeated by a largely peasant army inspired by religious zeal using innovative tactics based on a mobile fortress of circled wagons packed with crossbowmen and gunners and Hussite armies launched successful raids into enemy territory Žižka’s dying wish was that his skin be made into drums Hussites established a community at Tábor[10] the site of the Transfiguration of Jesus (Matthew The radical wing of the Hussites was called “Taborites” who sought compromise with the Catholic Church were called “Utraquists” (from the Latin word utraque (“both together”) a reference to their insistence on Communion in both bread and wine) while control over the silver mines of Kutna Hora frequently changed hands The Hussites initially minted Prague groschen and hellers from confiscated Church silver These… used the same designs as coins of Wenceslaus IV and it is not possible today to distinguish them from coins minted before 1420 the Hussites minted copper groschen and copper pfennigs (Czech flutek the Hussites had limited resources for minting coins especially after the sack of Kutná Hora by imperial troops in 1422 Most of the Hussite coinage consists of the crude single-sided heller[11] in debased silver and the tiny (0.3 g) copper flutek[12] These frequently appear in central European numismatic auctions and are inexpensive today The Austrian duke Albert married Elisabeth in 1421 and supported his campaigns against the Hussites When Sigismund died without an heir in 1437 Albert claimed the Hungarian and Bohemian crowns Albert died of plague on campaign against the Turks “Ladislaus the Posthumous”(Ladislav Pohrobek in Czech) who became a VIP hostage of his relative Frederick III of Habsburg young Ladislaus was crowned as king of Hungary and Bohemia in 1453 When Ladislaus died suddenly from leukemia on November 23 George of Podiebrad[13] (Czech: Jirí z Podebrad) became Bohemian king he fought on the side of the moderate Utraquists[14] when they defeated the radical Taborites at the Battle of Lipany (June 16 George resumed the issue of silver groschen at Kutná Hora[15] as well as anonymous single-sided hellers bearing an image of the Bohemian Crown[16] George maintained the independence of Bohemia during the complex dynastic struggles of the 15th century The majority of the Czech people accepted moderate Hussite beliefs and this continued until the Habsburg empire crushed a Bohemian revolt at the Battle of White Mountain[17] (November 8 1620) and enforced Roman Catholic orthodoxy Jan Hus has been commemorated on numerous coins and medallions Copied and recopied in various alloys for further centuries it bears the head of the martyred cleric on the obverse and a dramatic image of him tied to the stake on the reverse[18] the Czech Republic issued a silver 10 koruna Proof coin[19] with his youthful portrait on the obverse and the Bohemian lion on the reverse Pope John Paul II expressed “deep regret for the cruel death” inflicted on Hus The standard history of the Hussite Wars in English is Lützow (1914) was a “tireless champion of Bohemian independence.” Numismatic literature on the Hussite era is mainly written in Czech and German; the standard reference in English is Frynas (2015) Coins of this period mainly appear in Central European auctions has particularly strong expertise in Bohemian numismatics [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Council_of_Constance [2] Not the “Good King Wenceslaus” of the English Christmas carol who was the martyred Duke of Bohemia from 921 to 935 [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_IV,_Holy_Roman_Emperor Realized CHF 22,000 (about $22,082 USD; estimate CHF 15,000) Realized €260 (about $290 USD; estimate €80) Realized €80 (about $86 USD; estimate €40) Realized €800 (about $1,042USD; estimate €500) [10] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%C3%A1bor Realized €21 (about $23 USD; estimate €15) [13] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_of_Pod%C4%9Bbrady [14] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utraquism Realized €100 (about $112 USD; estimate €15) Realized €30 (about $33 USD; estimate €30) [17] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_White_Mountain Realized €115 (about $125 USD; estimate €5) [20] https://machochlapovic.com/en/about-us   Heretic Lives: Medieval Heresy from Bogomil and the Cathars to Wyclif and Hus The New Cambridge Medieval History: Volume 7 This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. 2025 © CoinWeek DISCLAIMER: All content within CoinWeek.com is presented for informational purposes only Commentary and Opinions are contributed by the author(s) who are solely responsible for the content CoinWeek does not buy or sell coins or numismatic material and No endorsement or affiliation to or from CoinWeek.com is made The coins were found by a hiker in a field near the town of Kutná Hora The coins must have amounted to a huge sum when they were buried about 900 years ago A woman who was hiking in the Czech Republic discovered a "jackpot": a hoard of more than 2,000 medieval silver coins that experts describe as one of the greatest finds of the past decade The coins are medieval denarii — medieval versions of the denarius, the standard silver coin minted during the Roman Empire.  Lenka Mazačová, director of the Czech Museum of Silver in Kutná Hora said in the statement that the coins were probably made at a mint in Prague from silver that had been imported into the region The medieval silver coins also contain small amounts of copper and experts hope they can use the coins' composition to determine the origin of the silver Related: Bronze Age gold belt with 'cosmological' designs unearthed in Czech beet field Archaeologists think the coins may have been hidden during a time of crisis.  Get the world’s most fascinating discoveries delivered straight to your inbox "It [the hoard] was probably placed during the first quarter of the 12th century, at a time of internal political instability," Filip Velímský there were disputes in the country between members of the Přemyslid dynasty over the princely throne in Prague."   The new find consists of more than 2,150 silver coins minted during the reigns of three Přemyslid rulers: King Vratislav II who ruled Bohemia from 1085 until his death in 1092; his son Prince Břetislav II who succeeded him and ruled until his death in 1100; and Prince Bořivoj II who succeeded his half brother Břetislav and ruled until 1120 Experts cannot be sure how much the hoard was worth at the time it was hidden — probably by burying it — but they agreed that it must have been a vast amount for the turn of the 11th and 12th centuries we lack data on the purchasing power of contemporary coins," Velímský said unimaginable and at the same time unaffordable amount for an ordinary person It can be compared to winning a million in the jackpot." —7,000-year-old structure near Prague is older than Stonehenge, Egyptian pyramids —See the striking facial reconstruction of a Paleolithic woman who lived 31,000 years ago The frequent battles for the throne in Prague at the time meant rival armies often marched through Kutná Hora, and the experts have not ruled out the possibility that the coins were meant for the payment of soldiers' salaries or were the spoils of war. The coins will now be examined at the Czech Museum of Silver in Kutná Hora, which was the site of several early silver mines and a center of silver production in medieval times. Mazačová said the coins will be cleaned, photographed and assessed for possible restoration. They will also undergo X-ray and spectral analysis in an attempt to determine their material composition and will be exhibited at the museum in 2025, he said. Live Science ContributorTom Metcalfe is a freelance journalist and regular Live Science contributor who is based in London in the United Kingdom Archaeologists discover hundreds of metal objects up to 3,400 years old on mysterious volcanic hilltop in Hungary May's full 'Flower Moon' will be a micromoon also known as the “Church of Bones” is set to clamp down on photography in an effort to restore respect to the site Sedlec Ossuary is a chapel in Kutná Hora and is reportedly among the most visited attractions in the Czech Republic The chapel is ‘decorated’ with the skeletons of around 40,000 people made into macabre fixtures; these include a chandelier of bones (that reportedly features one of every human bone) and a coat of arms with thousands of geotags at the Sedlec Ossuary a photography ban will be put in place in a bid to preserve the dignity of the people whose remains adorn the chapel the nearby Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and St John the Baptist are also included in the photography ban “We believe that our visitors will respect this decision and at the same time understand the reasons that led us to this step,” Radka Krejčí director of the parish organisational unit told reporters in a Czech Republic media briefing around half a million people passed through the Ossuary in 2017 with the number expected to continue rising Photographers will still be able to photograph the chapel upon request Visitors to the destination will need to seek permission from the parish three days ahead of time The ossuary is reportedly battling a tide of inappropriate selfies with some photographers shamelessly manipulating bones for interesting photos and putting hats or sunglasses on skulls for photo purposes The response on social media to the ban has been mixed with one Facebook user seemingly perplexed about the decision being based on preserving ‘dignity’ “If they’re talking about dignity then what about the gift shops selling plastic skull keyrings life-size skull models and ‘Welcome to hell’ signs one right at the ossuary entrance,” Emmi Riikka writes Experts have completed the two-year restoration of the first of four bone pyramids inside the Kutná Hora Ossuary a monumental 14th-century chapel decorated with the skeletal remains of thousands of people The two-year project to reassemble the 5-meter tall northwestern pyramid was an arduous task, lead restorer Tomáš Král said, speaking to news agency ČTK. “A large amount of the skeletal material was damaged when the pyramid was previously dismantled, so a lot of the bones were unusable,” Král told reporters on Saturday. To overcome this challenge, the restoration team developed a special wooden structure to support the bones and distribute the weight across the pyramid's individual floors. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kutná Hora - Sedlec (@visit.sedlec) “The original wooden elements did not have a static function; they just determined the shape,” said chief designer Vít Mlázovský “We had to reduce the load on the bones to prevent them from being crushed.” The process of repairing the pyramid included brushing Glass was installed to allow visitors to observe the reconstruction of the pyramid Fragments that could not be saved are buried and no substitute bones or plaster casts will be used as filler The pyramids were much larger initially but have shrunk as some bones disintegrated and turned to dust over the centuries Many were lost due to a lack of maintenance during the communist era Selfie-seekers also damaged displays in the chapel by carelessly backing into bones or posing with them Without intervention in the church’s structure, it could have fallen within 10 years, spokesperson Radka Krejčí told news server Aktualne.cz in 2021 when the reconstruction began Our altars were falling apart; some were even covered with moss,” Krejčí said The Kutná Hora Ossuary is undergoing a major CZK 111 million restoration that began in 2014 The work on the bone pyramids is just one component of the ongoing project the popular tourist site remains open to visitors down from almost 500,000 in the pre-pandemic year of 2019 The restoration of the second pyramid in the southwestern field is expected to begin by the end of this year or early 2025 is surrounded by an ancient cemetery revered for its sacred soil purportedly brought from Calvary Hill during the Crusades the church features a lower chapel designed to house surplus bones from mass graves and the Hussite Wars Renovations in 2018 included restoring the cemetery The upper church was Baroque-renovated in 1703-1710 by architecht Jan Blažej Santini Aichel woodcarver František Rint adorned the chapel with bones showcasing an estimated 40,000 interred remains See more photos of the Sedlec Ossuary renovations here Before an intense week of studying for the final examinations of the term Carleton students went on a group trip to the nearby Central Bohemian city of Kutná Hora Kutná Hora was made famous for producing at one point 90% of the Czech lands’ silver at the time when the Czech lands’ were contributing 1/3 of the world’s silver production With the introduction of the import of silver from the Spanish colonies although the picturesque scenery would remain to this day Carleton students were lucky enough to climb several hundreds of steps down into the very (wet) depths of the earth and experience the darkness that silver miners used to encounter on a daily basis The surprising thing was how relaxed the students were in the dark especially as we had just visited the famous Sedlec Bone Ossuary that was decorated with the bones of the victims of the Black Death… The much needed break ended with a tour of the newly opened GASK art gallery and tours of the UNESCO protected Church of St One final post after the farewell dinner will be put up later this weekend so stay tuned for the very last update!  507-222-4000 Sign In The coins had been buried for roughly 900 years until a woman stumbled upon them while walking across a plowed field the coins were found scattered both on and below the surface Experts consider this medieval hoard of denarii from Kutná Hora one of the largest finds of the past decade Archaeologists and historians will now examine the coins in detail before presenting the treasure to the public The coins likely date back to the first quarter of the 12th century – a turbulent period marked by conflicts among members of the Přemyslid dynasty over control of the Prague princely throne this collection would have represented an immense amount of money and was possibly intended as war booty or to pay soldiers “Unfortunately, we lack precise data on purchasing power from the turn of the 11th to the 12th century, but it was certainly a colossal, unimaginable, and inaccessible amount of money for the average person. Today, we’d compare it to winning a million-dollar jackpot in the lottery,” explains Filip Velímský from the Institute of Archaeology of the Czech Academy of Sciences in Prague archaeologists marked all the sites where they discovered coins with yellow flags What did the coins look like?The unique find of medieval coins in the region of Kutná Hora consists of more than 2,150 coins among which experts have so far identified mints from three Přemyslid rulers – King Vratislaus II and Princes Bretislaus II and Bořivoj II (ca 1085–1107) “The coins were most likely minted at the Prague mint using silver that was imported to the Czech lands at the time,” says Lenka Mazačová, Director of the Czech Museum of Silver in Kutná Hora The coins were made from a mint alloy containing silver Identifying this specific composition can help trace the origin of the silver used The oldest Czech coins as portrayed in František Cach’s book When will the treasure be displayed to the public?The experts commend the woman who discovered the coins for promptly reporting the treasure This allowed them to arrive without delay and begin their work The scattered coins were located using metal detectors Accurate documentation of the circumstances of the find later on can come in handy when processing the artifacts The denarii will undergo both traditional and X-ray imaging as well as spectral analysis to determine their exact material composition “Museum staff will record all parts of the find into the museum’s collection photograph the coins for publication and promotion including compiling a detailed catalog,” Mazačová explains The goal is to ultimately make this extraordinary find accessible to the public with plans to display it as part of the minting exhibition in the Czech Museum of Silver in Kutná Hora Visitors might be able to peruse the treasure as early as summer 2025 The discovery site of the silver coin hoard from the turn of the 11th and 12th century uncovered by archaeologists in the Kutná Hora region Written and prepared by: Leona Matušková, External Relations Division, CAO of the CAS, drawing on the CAS press release (in Czech)Translated by: Tereza Novická CAO of the CASPhoto: Institute of Archaeology of the CAS The primary mission of the CAS is to conduct research in a broad spectrum of natural, technical and social sciences as well as humanities This research aims to advance progress of scientific knowledge at the international level the specific needs of the Czech society and the national culture Prof. Eva Zažímalová has started her second term of office in May 2021 and a Professor of Plant Anatomy and Physiology She is also a part of GCSA of the EU Best in Travel is here! Discover 2025’s destinations The 30 best countries, cities and regions to visit in 2025 Plan your trip with Elsewhere, by Lonely Planet See where a Lonely Planet Membership takes you Subscribe to our weekly newsletters to get the latest travel news, expert advice, and insider recommendations Explore the world with our detailed, insightful guidebooks Stay ahead of the curve with our guidebooks Uncover exciting new ways to explore iconic destinations Every month, we release new books into the wild Search Search Close search menu Explore Best in Travel 2024 Africa Close menu Countries Antarctica Antarctica Close menu Regions Asia Asia Close menu Countries Australia & the Pacific Australia & the Pacific Close menu Countries The Caribbean The Caribbean Close menu Countries Central America Central America Close menu Countries Europe Europe Close menu Countries Middle East Middle East Close menu Countries North America North America Close menu Countries South America South America Close menu Countries The peaceful country setting is part of the magic at Karlštejn castle Czechia’s capital city is a fantastic sprawl of Gothic Renaissance and baroque buildings that line both banks of the Vltava River Millions come here every year to soak in the atmosphere and architectural splendor but with so many people milling the streets the flavor of the country itself can get lost The surrounding countryside holds some of Czechia’s most important sights, from a church made of human bones to the castle that once enshrined the Bohemian crown jewels. More importantly, leaving Prague's often-heaving streets – even for a day – allows you to learn more about Czechs These are the top five excursions from Prague within a 90-minute radius of the city limits It might come as a surprise, but many Czechs regard Karlštejn Castle a gleaming Disneyesque pile that rises dramatically beside the Berounka River as their favorite – beating out even Prague’s own sprawling castle complex This massive walled structure traces its roots back to 1348 and the reign of Prague’s Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV. The building was originally conceived as a hiding place for the Bohemian crown jewels. Entry is by guided tour, so consult the castle website in advance to check availability and book tickets or take a 15km hike through the woods to Beroun before catching a train back to Prague Restaurace Pod Dračí Skálou offers decent Czech food and Pilsner Urquell beer on tap How to get to Karlštejn: The 30km drive from Prague to Karlštejn takes 40 mins along the D5 motorway (follow signs to Plzeň) Regular trains depart from Prague’s main station in the direction of Beroun; the trip takes 45 mins Central Europe’s spookiest attraction lies an hour east of Prague at the Sedlec Ossuary – aka “Bone Church” – in the historic mining town of Kutná Hora This macabre chapel was created by local woodcarver František Rint in the 1870s using bones from tens of thousands of human skeletons in the town crypt to fashion chapels Once you’ve had your fill of bones and medieval finery How to get to Kutná Hora: Kutná Hora is 65km east of Prague Buses leave throughout the day from Prague’s Háje station on metro line C (red) while direct trains depart from Prague’s main station The former military fortress at Terezín was home to the most notorious German-run concentration camp on Czech soil but a holding center for Jews and other Holocaust victims before they could be sent onward to their deaths and thousands perished from hunger and disease The main Ghetto Museum is spread out over several buildings and the permanent exhibitions explore both the daily lives of the prisoners and the way the Nazis used Terezín as a showcase camp to deceive the International Red Cross Bring along a packed lunch, as Terezín is short on restaurants. Radniční sklípek in nearby Litoměřice offers the best food in the area but will require a car or bus to reach How to get to Terezín: Terezín is 60km north of Prague Buses from Prague take about an hour and depart from above the Praha-Holešovice metro station on line C (red) Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand was one of the 20th century’s most fateful figures. His assassination in Sarajevo in 1914 triggered the bloodbath of WWI. What’s not widely known, though, is that he lived not far from Prague at stately Konopiště Chateau A guided tour around the staterooms offers fascinating insight into how the wealthy lived in the early years of the 20th century and the archduke’s many eccentricities which included hunting and the cult of St George The chateau gardens make for a restful respite For a meal, head to Stará Myslivna for old-fashioned Czech cooking with – true to the archduke’s passion – lots of game on the menu How to get to Konopiště: Drivers follow the D1 motorway south from Prague to Benešov u Prahy Buses to Benešov travel throughout the day from Prague’s Roztyly station on metro line C (red) The pub Na Spilce is situated on the brewery grounds Na Parkánu is another popular pub-restaurant How to get to Plzeň: The city is easily reached by car, bus or train; the drive from Prague takes about 1hr 20 mins. Buses run every half-hour from Prague’s Zličín metro station on line B (yellow), while trains depart from Prague's main station. I've tried my best to find something to ding Kutnà Hora for, and the best I can think of is how bad I want an insert to streamline setup. Don't listen to the haters, this is my favorite production of the year and an absolute must for fellow economic euro fans. One of the longest running independent gaming news, reviews and culture sites on the web. DestinationsPlanningInspirationShopSearch SavesOpen main menuGetty Images/DeAgostini Four giant pyramids of stacked bones squat in the corner chapels chalices and monstrances of bone adorn the altar There’s even a Schwarzenberg coat-of-arms made from bones and Rint signed his name in bones at the foot of the stairs photography is not permitted in the ossuary ContactAddressZámecká 127 326 551 049 https://​www​.sedlec​.info​/ View more attractionsNearby Kutná Hora attractions1. Italian Court 2. Czech Silver Museum 3. Barborská 4. Gallery of Central Bohemia 5. Cathedral of St Barbara Kutná Hora’s greatest monument is the Gothic Cathedral of St Barbara. Rivalling Prague’s St Vitus in size and magnificence, its soaring nave culminates in… Archaeologists in Czechia have uncovered 30 mass graves from the High Middle Ages containing between them a total of around 1,500 skeletons That's a record number of skeletons in Bohemia from the High Middle Ages according to lead archaeologist Jan Frolík of the Czech Academy of Sciences Institute of Archaeology "The 30 graves, as far as I know, are the largest set in Europe," he told Prague Daily Monitor The remains were discovered during repair work being conducted on the Sedlec Ossuary, a chapel in the Czech suburb of Kutna Hora decorated with an estimated 40,000 to 70,000 skeletons. (Therein lies a fascinating story in itself.) The floor of the chapel is below ground level and it was while performing excavation in the surrounding cemetery to access the lower part of the building that the skeletons were found flanking the entire northern side of the ossuary and partially the eastern and western sides It appears that the foundations of the chapel were dug without knowledge of the graves beneath pits measuring 2 metres (6.5 feet) square and 2.5 to 3 metres (8.2 to 9.8 feet) deep are from two distinct time periods in the 14th century The researchers connected the oldest pits to a famine that swept the region 1318 CE A series of later pits were dated to 1348-1350 CE, when the Black Plague was at its peak and mass graves containing plague victims have been found and excavated all over Europe The researchers believe the graves were unmarked since some of the skeletons from 1318 were also damaged by the 1348 burial and some can be found under critical locations such as the northeastern corner of the chapel combined with the lack of grave goods - apart from a handful of coins and some metal buckles - indicate that the remains were possibly buried in haste A lot of work will need to be conducted to find out more about the skeletons They can provide population data for the region during two short time periods, and techniques such as isotope analysis can provide information about the diet the people at and environment they lived in by examining the presence of certain elements and minerals in the bones and teeth It's possible there are more graves underneath the chapel itself but excavating them without damaging the ossuary may be difficult Frolík and his team are commencing work on analysing the skeletons may be some time - the exhumed remains fill 600 large boxes Metrics details Mining and smelting activities can contaminate soils and affect farming due to high emissions and input of potentially toxic elements (PTE) into the environment Soils (sampled from two depths) and market vegetables from vegetable gardens located within the vicinity of unconfined slag deposits from decades of mining and smelting activities in Kutná Hora Czechia were assessed to determine to what extent they pose a health hazard to communities that use these gardens Pseudo-total As concentrations in the soils exceeded background levels (4.5 mg kg−1) 1.9–93 times with higher concentrations in the deeper layer The pseudo-total concentrations of PTE in soils ranked in the order As > Zn > Cd > Pb Phyto-available concentrations of PTE in soils were relatively low Pb and Zn in the vegetables exceeded guideline values with the highest concentrations found in the fruits of cucumber Despite low phyto-available PTE concentrations in soils all the PTE concentrations in the vegetables surpassed the guidelines set by the Czech Ministry of Health and EU directive Soil samples were compared to soils from vegetable gardens in an area without any known pollution source Czechia in which extensive mining activities took place (source: mapy.cz; processed with Adobe Photoshop Elements 7.0) Samples were collected from a number of unspecified vegetable gardens to the north of the town Map showing the location of the growers’ association plots in Suchdol Czechia from where control samples were collected (source: mapy.cz; processed with Adobe Photoshop Elements 7.0) Altitude 260 m a.s.l; latitude 50° 13ʹ N; longitude 14° 37ʹ E; mean annual rainfall 554 mm Soil samples from both the KH gardens and the control site were oven dried (30 °C) and analysed in the same way The edible plant samples were thoroughly cleaned between − 60 °C and − 80 °C) and homogenised and crushed in a mill prior to analysis Most samples were left to be analysed as they were so only the parts that are actually consumed by households were analysed Five grams of soil was shaken with 50 mL of 2 M HNO3 for 6 h on an orbital shaker and the supernatant filtered (nylon 0.45 µm syringe filter) The phyto-available portion of PTE in soil was determined by shaking 10 g of soil with 40 mL of 1 M NH4NO3 for 2 h followed by filtering through filter paper (Filtrak 390 Total concentration of PTE in plant samples were determined by reacting 0.5 g of plant dry samples with 65% HNO3 overnight and then heated at 160 °C for 2 h Potentially toxic elements in all soil extract solutions were analysed using ICP-OES iCAP 7000 (Thermo Fisher Scientific USA); limit of detection (LD) was calculated according to the equation: LD = 3.29 σ0 (σ0 is blank sample standard deviation) Procedural blanks were included in the analyses Potentially toxic elements in plant digestates were analysed using ICP-MS (single quadrupole inductively coupled plasma- mass spectrometry The ICP-MS was fitted with a micro-concentric nebulizer and quartz Scott-type spray chamber The analysis was performed in the No Gas (111Cd and 206Pb) and He mode (63Cu and 75As) using an external calibration and 72Ge Two certified reference materials (CRM) were included in the whole procedure for quality assurance namely Tea leaves (INCT-TL-1 and NCS DC73351) The limits of detection (LDs) for the whole analytical procedure (PTE in plants) were 0.036 mg Cu kg−1 Experimental research and field studies on plants complies with relevant institutional and international guidelines and legislation Data handling and basic statistical (correlations) applications were made in Microsoft Excel Independent t-tests were performed using Statistica 13 software (StatSoft The authors provided consent to participate in this study The authors provided consent to publish this study once accepted No significant relationships were determined between soil pH and the phyto-available PTE (as a percentage of HNO3 extract) who studied As-contaminated gardens at a mining area in southern England the phyto-available content correlates with the total As content (R = 0.80 and 0.81 for A and B respectively) more than a quarter of the data were in excess of the 1 mg kg−1 SBL limit Enrichment with Cd in the KH soils is particularly evident when compared to the control soils Cadmium is a metal that is characterised by generally higher mobility than other metals with similar valence which are associated with binding to organic matter carbonates and clays Higher mobility of Cd usually translates into enhanced plant uptake but can also mean greater vertical leaching; in this case little difference in total Cd contents between A and B layers was observed it is likely that the most enriched soils have been buried by imported topsoil or newly developed surface soil layers Lead isotope analysis would be necessary to confirm the Pb source Independent t-test confirms the higher content of Pb in the B layer samples; nevertheless both layers A and B contained considerably more Pb than in the control soil The plant samples with the highest Pb concentrations were peppers The high Zn concentrations in the edible plant parts correlated to the high concentrations in the soils reaching up to 759 mg kg−1 in some samples several factors must be taken into account etc.) as well as the type of contamination and the main contaminants present are the most important factors Implementing amendment for As contamination widely differ from amendments that would work for Zn or Pb The chosen amendment would differ greatly from garden to garden depending on the plants cultivars the soil type and the highest PTE present in the soils and plants There is a risk of transfer of As (and other PTE) from soil Growing vegetables and fruits in the contaminated soils present certain risks to consumers and therefore certain measures must be taken to decrease the high concentrations of PTE that can be taken up by the edible fruits and vegetables As was the element that was present in excessive quantities in garden soils with the lowest concentration in the soil surpassing the SBL Despite the low 1 M NH4NO3 extractable (plant available) As it was still the most plant available element studied Concentrations of PTE in edible plant parts exceeded allowable quantities (0.5 mg As kg−1; 0.05–0.1 mg Cd kg−1; 0.1 mg Pb kg−1; 10–25 mg Zn kg−1) set by the Czech Ministry of Health and cucumbers accumulating the highest PTE concentrations in their tissues Based on the observed soil and plant PTE concentrations vegetable owners are encouraged to take certain measures to mitigate the contamination Fe-oxides or biochar to the plots can reduce the relative PTE concentration in soil managing soils with multiple risk elements can be problematic as what could work for As could potentially have a different effect on Cd Grass-seeding on unused plots or maintaining a crop cover for as much of the year as possible will reduce contaminated dust migration in case of soil-to-plant transfer of mobile risk elements growers should consider growing ornamental plants or trees instead of edible plants in the worst affected soils A possible solution to prevent further contamination of land through wind or water erosion from unconfined deposits would be through land reclamation The data that support the findings of this study are openly available on request Please contact the corresponding author (vejvodova@af.czu.cz) for further information Silver pathway—Instructional Pathway in Kutná Hora in Stručná Historie Kutnohorského Dolování. Drahota, P., Raus, K., Rychlíková, E. & Rohovec, J. Bioaccessibility of As, Cu, Pb, and Zn in mine waste, urban soil, and road dust in the historical mining village of Kaňk, Czech Republic. Environ. Geochem. Health 40(4), 1495–1512. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-017-9999-1 (2017) Ash, C. et al. Potentially toxic element distribution in soils from the Ag-smelting slag of Kutná Hora (Czech Republic): Descriptive and prediction analyses. J. Geochem. Explor. 144, 328–336. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gexplo.2013.11.010 (2014) Száková, J., Tlustoš, P., Goessler, W., Frková, Z. & Najmanová, J. Mobility of arsenic and its compounds in soil and soil solution: The effect of soil pretreatment and extraction methods. J. Hazard. Mater. 172(2–3), 1244–1251. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2009.07.143 (2009) Tremlová, J. et al. A profile of arsenic species in different vegetables growing in arsenic-contaminated soils. Arch. Agron. 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Soil Water Res. 16(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.17221/13/2020-SWR (2021) The use of fast growing trees as ‘metal-collectors’ In: Willow vegetation filters for municipal wastewaters and sludges: A biological purification system (1994) Heavy metal uptake by fast growing willow species In: Willow vegetation filters for municipal wastewaters and sludges: a biological purification system,” Uppsala (1994) Download references This work was supported by the Internal Grant Agency of the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, FAFNR, SV21-8–21130 and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic (project No. CZ.02.1.01/0.0/0.0/16_019/0000845). https://www.af.czu.cz/en/r-9373-science-research/r-9515-projects/r-14716-nutrisk-centre Department of Soil Science and Soil Protection writing- review and editing.: C.A.: conceptualization roles/writing—original draft.: J.D.: data curation writing- review and editing.: H.J.: formal analysis.: M.S.: visualization.: F.P.: writing—review and editing L.P.: resources.: L.B.: writing—review and editing.: O.D.: conceptualization The authors declare no competing interests Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations Download citation DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-17461-z Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: a shareable link is not currently available for this article Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) is building a factory in Kutná Hora Czech Republic dedicated to developing high-performance computing (HPC) and AI systems The new factory will be located next to the company’s current European site used for manufacturing servers and storage solutions Operations are set to commence in summer 2022 The factory will focus on two main product lines: the HPE Apollo systems which can be used for HPC and AI applications Both product lines deliver end-to-end HPC and AI capabilities spanning compute The factory has been designed to specifically accommodate the manufacturing requirements of HPE’s liquid-cooled systems and the floor has been reinforced to withstand the weight of the HPE Cray EX supercomputers which are up to 8,000 pounds (3,628kg) per cabinet Each cabinet also includes a water circuit between the supercomputers and the roof of the building to help with cooling HPE acquired Cray in early 2019 in a deal estimated at $1.3billion and has since taken over the development of its supercomputer systems HPE has partnered with Foxconn to manage the site’s product manufacturing and shipping to fulfill HPE’s customer orders Foxconn already has this role at the current HPE site in Kutná Hora “When European organizations adopt next-generation supercomputing they gain a powerful foundation to seize opportunities of exponential data growth to accelerate scientific discovery strengthen digital sovereignty and unlock innovations to deliver greater economic value,” said Justin Hotard executive vice president and general manager “HPE is committed to continue supporting Europe in this endeavor and our new HPC factory in Kutná Hora We are now able to manufacture the industry’s leading supercomputing while increasing supply chain viability and resiliency.” HPE has expanded its AI partnerships in France with the upcoming Adastra supercomputer for GENCI-CINES, the Jean Zay supercomputer for GENCI, and a supercomputer for Maison de l'Intelligence Artificielle Data Centre Dynamics Ltd (DCD), 32-38 Saffron Hill, London, EC1N 8FH Email. 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