The striking Baroque Gothic exterior, works of art and religious vessels draw visitors to the Church of the Assumption of Our Lady and St. John the Baptist. This UNESCO World Heritage site is also known as Sedlec Cathedral and is the oldest Cistercian cathedral in Bohemia.
The cathedral’s history dates back to the early 14th century. It was one of many buildings constructed by Sedlec’s wealthy Cistercian monastery. It was destroyed by the Hussites in 1421 and remained in ruins until restoration work by architect Jan Blažej Santini-Aichel in the early 18th century. Santini’s design merged the cathedral’s original architecture with Baroque Gothic elements.
After surveying the exterior, head inside the cathedral. Get a quick overview of the cathedral's history by watching the 9-minute movie in the small cinema.
Go to the treasury, which holds some of the church’s most important pieces. See the Monstrance of Sedlec from the 14th century. This is believed to be one of only 10 remaining Gothic monstrances in the world. The ornate gilded silver vessel is a valuable liturgical item used to store altar bread, the thin wafers that devotees take at Holy Communion.
Look at the facsimile of the ancient foundation charter of the abbey. The parchment details when the Cistercian monks first came to Sedlec. View the replica of the Our Lady of Sorrows painting. The original was created by a Bohemian artist known as Master of theTřeboň Altarpiece. Elsewhere in the cathedral, see the Baroque confessional booths from 1730 and paintings by well-known Baroque artist Petr Brandl.
The Church of the Assumption of Our Lady and St. John the Baptist is 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) outside Kutná Hora in Sedlec. To get here, make the short walk from the train station or catch the local bus from Masarykova Street. Admission fees apply with discounts for children, seniors, disabled persons and students. Money can be saved with combination tickets for the cathedral and other religious sites, including the Ossuary. This is the Bone Church where decorations such as chandeliers are made from human bones.
