The Sedlec Ossuary

Do you need to book Sedlec Ossuary tickets in advance?

Yes. The parish says capacity is limited and entry cannot be guaranteed without a reservation.

Tickets are valid only for a specific date and time. You should arrive about 5 minutes early and no later than 10 minutes after your slot; the time cannot be changed. Refunds are possible up to 3 days before, as a voucher valid for 12 months.

A tour with entry included takes that off your hands. The guide books the group's slots ahead, and every tour on this site cancels free up to 24 hours before.

A live guide with the ossuary and St Barbara tickets included, from Náměstí Republiky. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before.

★ 4.5 · 6 hours · from $65

Explore the guided tour with ossuary entry → Tour details

How much is the Sedlec Ossuary in 2026?

220 CZK per adult. St Barbara's Cathedral costs 180 CZK, so the two main sights come to 400 CZK.

The Sedlec Cathedral, a short walk away, has its own ticket, sold online and at the Sedlec Information Centre. On 27 October 2026 the parish listed the ossuary open from 9 AM to 5 PM; check the day's hours when you book.

How long does a Sedlec Ossuary visit take?

At most 30 minutes in the lower chapel, the ossuary itself. The upper chapel has no time limit.

Half an hour is enough to walk round the pyramids, the chandelier and the coat of arms without rushing. The visit is self-guided, with leaflets in the lower chapel. The parish arranges guided tours for groups by e-mail, for a fee, and runs night tours by candlelight with an organ concert that must be booked at least 2 weeks ahead.

Allow another 30 to 45 minutes for the Sedlec Cathedral, a short walk away.

What is inside the Sedlec Ossuary?

Four bone pyramids, a chandelier said to use every bone of the human body, garlands of skulls and a coat of arms made of bones.

• The pyramids: four great stacks of bones in the corners, which the parish reads as the heavenly mountain.
• The chandelier: hung in the centre, it is allegedly assembled from all the bones of the human body.
• The Schwarzenberg coat of arms: the only secular piece, made around 1870 by František Rint to thank the family that saved the ossuary.
• Rint's signature: spelled out in bone near the entrance.

Nobody knows the stories of the people buried here. The parish says only that they wanted to rest at Sedlec and hoped for resurrection. The message of the place is memento mori, remember death.

Can you take photos in the Sedlec Ossuary?

No. Photography has been banned inside since January 2024.

The parish calls the ossuary a resting place for thousands of people and a functioning sacred space. The ban followed selfies taken with the remains. Tour listings repeat it, and guides remind their groups at the door. You can take photos outside, at the Sedlec Cathedral and inside St Barbara.

Is the Sedlec Ossuary open during the restoration?

Yes. Repairs began in 2014 and will run until at least 2030, and the site stays open throughout.

The parish pays for the work itself. The church had leaned almost 0.5 metres off its vertical axis, and damp in the lower chapel was damaging the bones, plaster and stucco. The repairs go in phases, so you may see a section under work, and access is by a temporary wooden staircase. For that reason the ossuary is not wheelchair accessible at the moment.

Which Kutná Hora tours include Sedlec Ossuary entry?

Most group tours do. The budget excursion includes it only with the matching option, and the private Bone Church tour lists it as extra.

• Trip by train (from $80): ossuary and St Barbara included, with the train and a local bus.
• Coach tour (from $65): both entries included; the Italian Court is not.
• Guided tour with ossuary entry (from $65): both tickets included, rated 4.5 from 44 reviews.
• Hotel pickup tour (from $86): St Barbara, the ossuary and the Sedlec Cathedral.
• Budget excursion (from $50): transport for all; the guide and entries come only with that option.
• Private Bone Church tour ($503 per group): entries extra, 220 CZK and 180 CZK per person.

A coach from the Old Town, a guide and both entries in the price. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before.

★ 4.4 · 6 hours · from $65

Explore the Kutná Hora coach tour → Tour details

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