9/ Church of St. James

The oldest of Kutná Hora's churches and at the same time a giant, which was nicknamed tall after its 80-meter high northern tower, which leans slightly to the northwest, could have had its majesty even more emphasized, but the southern tower was never completed. Construction took place from the first half of the 14th century until the 15th century and the Parléř ironworks contributed its share.

The long history of the church, which was originally dedicated to St. Anne, has left a number of unique monuments from different periods. In the interior of the church, it is certainly worth mentioning the frescoes from the mid-15th century, in which it is possible to see undeniably Catholic motifs that contrast with Utraquist symbols. On one of the sanctuaries (the Eucharistic tabernacle), the oldest preserved inscription can be seen, dating back to 1356. And it is certainly worth mentioning the painting of the Holy Trinity, which is part of the present altar, by Petr Brandl.

St. James is depicted in the church three times, in a lime woodcarving by Kašpar Eigler from 1679, where the saint is depicted as an ambitious young man, as a statue on a pillar in front of the main nave, and in an altarpiece by F. X. Palek.

Until 1782, before the ban on burials in churches, a total of 200 people were buried in six tombs. The largest crypt with about 150 people buried is located under the presbytery.

An interesting fact is that if you connect the church of St. James together with the main city church of St. Barbara, the church of St. Mary and the now closed church of St. Bartholomew on the city map, you will get a geometrically almost exact square. Medieval builders thus sought to sanctify the overall space of the city and protect it against dark forces.