St. Barbara's Church, Kutná Hora

Welcome to the magnificent town of Koot-nah Hor-ah, widely celebrated as the undeniable jewel and the glittering treasury of the ancient Bohemian Kingdom. I am deeply honored to be your guide today as we explore one of the most…

As we arrive at the immediate exterior of Saint Barbara, I invite you to pause and observe its highly unusual geographical placement. Have you ever seen a major cathedral of this monumental scale situated right next to a…

Please step through the heavy doors and allow your eyes a moment to adjust to the magnificent, filtered light of the interior. Welcome to the towering nave of Saint Barbara. …

Step carefully into this slightly secluded section near the rear of the cathedral. Notice how the light here falls gently upon the ancient stone walls. …

As we move along the ambulatory, please direct your attention to this striking, life sized statue. It represents a medieval silver miner in his authentic, everyday working attire. …

Let us now shift our historical focus forward in time by several centuries. Please step into this side chapel to admire a dramatically different style of art. …

We have now climbed the steep, winding stone steps to reach the upper balustrade of the cathedral. Take a moment to catch your breath and rest your hands firmly against the cool stone railing. …

As we step back out into the bright, natural light of the modern day, let us take a final moment to reflect upon the complex, beautiful paradox that is the Cathedral of Saint Barbara. We are standing once again near the edge of…