Prague Arts Tour

Zelená Hora & Kutná Hora (both UNESCO Sites) with Private Guide - D9

Vysočina and Central Bohemia: An Unusual Pilgrimage Site & a Historic Gothic Mining Town 

Zelená Hora (Green Mountain) is located on the border between the Bohemian and Moravian regions and features an unusual pilgrimage site of outstanding Baroque devotion. It’s a chapel dedicated to one of the most significant Czech saints – St. John of Nepomuk. His statue on the Charles Bridge in Prague is the one that each visitor touches in hopes of fulfilling their wishes.

One of the key elements in the canonization process of St. John was the miracle in which five stars appeared over the martyr’s head. This is why the architect, Jan Santini Aichel, chose the unusual layout of a star for this site. A genius architect, he never fails to surprise with his sacral architecture that inventively and successfully combines the principles of Baroque and Gothic styles. The star theme and the symbolism of the number are ubiquitous in this unique pilgrimage site. Aside from its beautiful setting in the local rolling landscape, this truly unusual church was the result of an exceptional encounter of two minds - Václav Vejmluva, the builder (then the Abbot of the Cistercian Monastery in Žďár) and Santini, the architect. For many years they collaborated on symbolism and Kabbalah teachings.

Then we proceed to Kutná Hora, a city that was the largest and most powerful in the Czech Kingdom in the 13th century. This was a time when one of the richest silver mines in Europe operated here. This exceptional development of the city also enabled the construction of the cathedral of St. Barbara, the patron saint of miners. Personally, the beauty of this daringly curved star vault never ceases to amaze me. Neither does the beauty of the surprisingly Art-Nouveau stained glass and medieval frescoes. Their authors sought inspiration not only in Biblical themes, but also in the everyday life of the miners, something absolutely unusual at the time. After our visit to the cathedral, we will explore this originally medieval city with its former Jesuit College that is now an important art gallery named GASK, as well as the St. Jacob church and the famous Italian Court.

 

TOUR RATES AND TRIP DURATION:

The price of the tour includes the cost of transportation and guide services. We calculated the listed basic price for transportation using a luxury minivan for the minimal duration of the tour. Please add 15 € or $20 for every additional hour.

Zelená Hora, Kutná Hora – minimal duration = 10 hours / minivan*
Minivan 1-3 people + guide340 € = $410
Minivan 4-7 people + guide360 € = $435

*Alternate modes of transportation are available for this tour by train or bus. The price is considerably lower than using the minivan. We’ll be happy to provide you with a tailor-made calculation.

Why is there a surcharge for a longer tour? Occasionally the tour is prolonged in order to visit a particular monument or allow more free time. In any case, all of this depends on your desires.

Entries to the monuments form a rather small part of the overall cost of your trip. You will pay for them separately and directly. We will include information about entry costs in our e-mail communication.

IN THE FOLLOWING FORM, WE WILL BE ALSO ASKING YOU ABOUT:

Which of the above sights highlighted with a mark would you like to visit inside, beyond the scope of the basic walking tour? You will be asked to pay for entries to the sights directly on spot to their respective box offices.