Church of St. Jakub Kutná Hora
It is indisputable that the silhouette of the church of St. Jakub, which has been decorating the town since the 14th century, is so connected with Kutná Hora that it is very difficult to imagine the panorama of the town without it. It is a town church, in the construction of which the Parléřov smelter also took part, and which is completely unmistakable in its appearance. It is characterized by two towers at the head of the western facade. One climbs to a height of 84 m and the other was never built. Church of St. Jakub was, together with other significant monuments of Kutná Hora, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
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Interesting facts Church of St. Jakub Kutná Hora
The construction of the oldest church in Kutná Hora was started around 1330 by German patricians and the completion of the church core dates back to 1380. Construction continued until 1420, but shortly afterwards the church was set on fire by the Hussites and only at the end of the 15th century. The original intention to build two towers in the western façade was abandoned due to the unsatisfactory subsoil of the terrain.
The core of the church consists of a nave, two side chapels and a polygonally closed presbytery with a sacristy. The dominant feature of the church is the already mentioned five-storey tower. The tall gothic windows are pointed and provided with three-leaf tracery and the interior is vaulted with a cross vault.
The oldest elements in the interior are mainly the remains of frescoes from the 15th century and two walled sanctuary. Benches in the choir have also been preserved from the late Gothic period. Of course, it is also worth mentioning the painting depicting the Baptism of St. Of St. James, whose author is František Xaver Palko or a baroque altar with pieta by Karel Škréta. Also significant is the baptistery from the early 16th century and the painting depicting the Last Supper, which was created in 1515.
Author: Andrea Štyndlová