arciděkanství Kutná Hora Parish house

Welcome to the picturesque streets of the historic heart of Kutna Hora. Right now, you're standing on Jakub Street, and in front of your eyes, there's an important historical building of the Kutnohora Archdeacon. Raise your head and look around you. You are located in a place where centuries of history breathes at every step, in the immediate vicinity of the mighty church of St. James the Elder and the famous Vlasch Court. Feel the peaceful atmosphere of a place that remembers the glory of the silver city, its expansion and dramatic moments.

Let's go back together in time to a time when this street looked quite different. The first written mention of this place dates back to the year 133,63rd, when the old and demented city school, which served the so-called High Church, stood here. However, with the advancing time, this original building was no longer sufficient for the needs of a growing city, and its condition was so bad that a radical solution had to be taken.

Between fifteen hundred ninety-four and fifteen hundred ninety-fifth, the old school was in a meltdown and a whole new building began to grow in its place. The city needed a representative space at the time, so the new building in its time was one of the largest and most spectacular in the whole city. The interesting thing is that the financing of this challenging building did not only take place from the city register, but was also contributed by residents through public collections and donations, which shows how much people cared about education and the form of their city. The names of the builders may have taken time, but the work itself survived.

Now pay attention to the facade of the building itself, which is right in front of you. This building was originally established as a Renaissance school. Stop for a moment and look at the proportions of this magnificent building, which still bears traces of Renaissance construction. If you look at the walls in more detail, you can imagine what the construction work looks like in the 16th century. During the second half of the seventeenth century, namely the year sixteen hundred seventy-six, an important exchange agreement between the school and the parish was concluded. Since then, the building has started to serve religious purposes as a parochial archdeacon, a function that it still performs today.

This house is connected with a number of interesting human destinies and historical personalities. Their tracks were left by personalities like Zikmund Kozel z Riesenthalu, Mikuláš Vodňanský z Čazarova or educated Jan Campanus Vodňanský. Later in the newer history, famous experts such as Mocker or Lábler were also interested in the design and preservation of monuments in the surroundings. Each of them has contributed to the fact that over the centuries this house has resisted all the trials of fate.

The stories associated with this place are not only about lists and treaties, but also about the great bravery of ordinary people. One of the most dramatic chapters took place in 18,000. That's when the city was hit by a big and devastating fire that threatened to devour the whole neighborhood. But it was the enormous bravery of the Kutnomountain firefighters who managed to save this valuable building from total destruction. Thanks to their use, we can stand here today and admire a monument that is officially protected as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic with a truly rich history dating back to the 16th century.

Before going on further walks in this beautiful city, look again for Jakub Street. Remember, you walk in the places where generations of students, priests and simple townspeople have gone. Thank you for your attention, I hope you enjoyed your walk with our audio guide, and I wish you many other wonderful experiences in discovering the secrets of Kutná Hora. Goodbye.