Church of the Sacred Heart in Kutná Hora

Church of the Most Sacred Heart of Our Lord in Kutná Hora stands next to a former Ursuline convent, in a town inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List for its medieval silver-mining heritage and Gothic architecture. It's a Neo-Baroque building, much younger than most of the old town's landmarks - built only at the turn of the 20th century - though its story starts two centuries earlier, when Ursuline nuns first settled in the town.

How did the Ursulines come to Kutná Hora?

The nuns arrived in Kutná Hora in 1712 and initially lived in a house rented from the Cistercians of nearby Sedlec. Only twenty years later, once funds had been raised, did they start building a convent of their own, designed by Kilián Ignác Dientzenhofer - one of the leading architects of Bohemian Baroque at the time. Construction ran from 1738 to 1743. The original plan envisioned a monumental complex on a polygonal layout with a large central chapel, but in the end only three wings of the design were actually built.

When was the church itself built?

The church building standing next to the convent today is considerably younger than the convent walls themselves. It went up between 1898 and 1901, designed by architect Friedrich Ohmann, in a Neo-Baroque style that echoes Dientzenhofer's Baroque forms while using the more modern building methods of the late 19th century. The church has an orthogonal (rectangular) floor plan and opens onto its corner with a sculptural, stage-set-like facade - a classic Baroque pursuit of theatrical effect, recreated here in a historicist key.

What does the former convent house today?

The convent complex next to the church no longer serves purely religious life. It now houses a Catholic secondary school (gymnázium), while part of the building is home to the offices of Wine Cellars Kutná Hora s.r.o. The church itself remains a place of prayer - its interior is open daily from 9am to 4pm for anyone looking for a quiet moment of personal prayer.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Church of the Most Sacred Heart of Our Lord the same as St. James' Church in Kutná Hora? No. It's a separate building, standing next to the former Ursuline convent, and much younger than the Gothic St. James' Church in the town centre.

Who designed the church? The church building was designed by architect Friedrich Ohmann and built between 1898 and 1901 in the Neo-Baroque style. The adjoining convent is older, designed by Kilián Ignác Dientzenhofer.

Can visitors go inside? The church is open daily from 9am to 4pm, mainly for quiet personal prayer rather than as a museum attraction.

Is the convent still run by the Ursuline order? Today the former convent buildings house a Catholic secondary school, and part of the space is occupied by the Wine Cellars Kutná Hora company.