Visitor Information (opening hours, admission, parking \u2013 see below)<\/a><\/p>\n\nThe Royal Mint<\/strong> – Where Coinage Took Place:<\/p>\n\n\n- Coin smithies:<\/strong> workshops where silver was processed and prepared into blanks for minting. Originally there were seventeen, each bearing the emblem of the town from which the moneyer came. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Preghaus (coining hall):<\/strong> where silver blanks were struck into Prague groschen (silver coins). <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
The Royal Palace<\/strong> \u2013 The Representative Residence of the King in Kutn\u00e1 Hora:<\/p>\n\n\n- Audience Hall (Great Hall):<\/strong> a ceremonial room where royal meetings were held, including the election of kings (such as Vladislaus II Jagiellon) or the signing of the Kutn\u00e1 Hora Decree. Today it features a Neo-Gothic wooden ceiling and 19th-century wall paintings depicting important historical events. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Chapel of St. Wenceslas and St. Ladislaus: <\/strong> a Gothic chapel on the first floor of the palace, notable for its ribbed vault, five-sided apse, and rich decoration. It contains valuable late-Gothic altars and 19th-century Art Nouveau murals. Beneath it lies the private chapel of King Wenceslas IV. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Royal Treasury:<\/strong> located below St. Wenceslas Chapel, secured with iron-plated doors and marked with the Latin inscription \u201cNoli me tangere\u201d (\u201cDo not touch me!\u201d) \u2013 a warning to anyone tempted to steal silver or coins. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
Cellars:<\/strong> originally used for various purposes, including storing silver. Today they feature interactive exhibitions. <\/p>\n\nCourtyard:<\/strong> the central space connecting the various parts of the complex and serving as its main communication hub. <\/p>\n\nTower:<\/strong> the dominant square tower with battlements gives the Italian Court its characteristic silhouette and highlights its defensive function.<\/p>\n\nOrigins of the Italian Court<\/h2>\n\n
At first, a stone fortress was built on the edge of a steep slope above the left bank of the Vrchlice stream. It served defensive purposes and for storing ore. The site was strategically chosen \u2013 on the southern edge of the emerging Kutn\u00e1 Hora. <\/p>\n\n
The annual silver production of Kutn\u00e1 Hora, at its peak, reached several tons, representing the vast majority of Czech output and a significant portion of European production. This wealth financed, among other things, the magnificent constructions of the Luxembourg dynasty and strengthened the power of Czech kings. <\/em><\/p>\n\nKing Wenceslas II, in the 13th century, established a central royal mint here as part of his reform of Czech coinage. At that time, there were 17 separate mints in the kingdom (in Prague, Pilsen, Mal\u00edn, Znojmo, Cheb, \u010cesk\u00e9 Bud\u011bjovice, and others), each minting its own coins. The reform centralized all mints in one place \u2013 Kutn\u00e1 Hora, in the Italian Court. Each original mint received its own \u0161mitna, a separate workshop where silver blanks were prepared for minting. The walled-up entrances of the 17 smithies can still be seen in the courtyard today. <\/p>\n\n
As part of the reform, a unified currency \u2013 the Prague groschen <\/strong>\u2013 began to be minted. Silver blanks came from the workshops to the minting hall and left as final silver coins. These were high-quality silver coins used for several centuries. <\/p>\n\nWhy the Name \u201cItalian Court\u201d?<\/h2>\n\n
The name \u201cItalian Court\u201d appeared around the year 1400. In Latin sources, it was originally referred to as Curia Italica (Italian Court) or Curia Walachica (Vlach Court), referencing Italian experts from Florence, called \u201cVlachs,\u201d who worked here during the coinage reform. Italians were among the best minters of the Middle Ages. <\/p>\n\n
Because of Kutn\u00e1 Hora\u2019s importance, King Wenceslas II often visited, and thus representative royal rooms were created.<\/p>\n\n
The Golden Era under Wenceslas IV<\/h2>\n\n
The Italian Court reached its greatest prosperity under King Wenceslas IV at the turn of the 14th 14. and 15th centuries. The monarch had the original simple building rebuilt into a magnificent two-story palace with a tower and chapel, creating a representative royal residence. <\/p>\n\n
During this time, important political events took place here. In 1409, Wenceslas IV signed the Decree of Kutn\u00e1 Hora here, which affected the administration of Prague University and changed the balance between Czech and foreign students in favor of the Czechs. <\/p>\n\n
Life in the Royal Mint<\/h2>\n\n
The Italian Court was truly the heart of the Czech Kingdom\u2019s economy. Specialists of various professions worked in the mint (preghaus): <\/p>\n\n
\n- Preg\u00e9\u0159: chief of the mint<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Smelters in the room where silver was smelted<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Metal preparers: refined the metal for coining<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Coiners, who made the final coins<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Assayers: who checked the quality of materials and coins<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
For obvious reasons, the entire operation was strictly guarded. Valuables were kept in the treasury beneath the royal chapel. Above the entrance to the treasury is still carved the Latin warning: \u201cNoli me tangere\u201d \u2013 \u201cDo not touch me!\u201d <\/p>\n\n
Architecture of the Italian Court<\/h2>\n\n
The architecture of the Italian Court reflects centuries of development. Despite later modifications, its Gothic character remains visible, especially in its structure and layout. <\/p>\n\n
The Italian Court has an irregular square ground plan with four wings around an inner courtyard. From the courtyard, portals lead to workshops (\u0161mitny) of the royal mining towns. The walls were thick enough to protect valuable silver and coins, and the layout facilitated smooth operation of the mint. The entire complex was gradually designed to serve multiple purposes \u2013 minting, administration, and royal representation. <\/p>\n\n
Early Gothic foundations<\/strong>: the original mint had robust and functional architecture. Parts of the perimeter walls and some cellars from this period have survived. <\/p>\n\nhe most notable architectural feature is the Royal Palace in the northern part of the complex \u2013 a three-story building with richly decorated pointed-arch windows and tracery, typical of Gothic style. Particularly impressive is the Chapel of St. Wenceslas, located on the first floor. It represents High Gothic<\/strong> architecture with a star vault and rich decoration. <\/p>\n\nUnder Vladislaus II Jagiellon, late Gothic modifications<\/strong> were made. Later, especially after fires, the court acquired some Renaissance elements, though to a lesser extent. These appear, for example, in some portals or window shapes that show the transition to the new style. <\/p>\n\nTower and entrance gate: the dominant feature of the entire complex is the tower with battlements, giving the Italian Court its distinctive silhouette and emphasizing its defensive role. The original entrance gate had a drawbridge over a moat to secure the complex. <\/p>\n\n
Residence of Kings and Nobles<\/h2>\n\n
Kings who verifiably stayed here include:<\/p>\n\n
\n- Wenceslas II<\/strong> initiated its founding at the end of the 13th century as a central royal mint. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Wenceslas IV.<\/strong> was particularly fond of the Italian Court and had it significantly rebuilt into his residential seat. He spent much time here, and the Italian Court even became his seat at the turn of the 14th 14. and 15th centuries. It was here in 1409 that he signed the famous Decree of Kutn\u00e1 Hora. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Vladislaus II Jagiellon <\/strong> was also closely connected to the Italian Court. He was elected King of Bohemia here in 1471. During his reign, further modifications were made to the residential section of the court. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- George of Pod\u011bbrady<\/strong> was elected provincial administrator here.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Sigismund of Luxembourg<\/strong> took refuge here during the Hussite Wars.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
In addition to monarchs, many other prominent figures appeared at the Italian Court, especially related to its role as the central mint and important political center. <\/p>\n\n
\n- High mint masters: very influential royal officials managing mint operations and coin production. Their residence, the Mint Master\u2019s House, was located directly by the Italian Court. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Italian minters and pregers: from the beginning, experienced experts from Florence (Vlachs) were invited to Kutn\u00e1 Hora, contributing to the establishment and operation of Prague groschen minting. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Various mint officials: coin clerks, officers controlling metal purity, die engravers, and others.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Diplomats and envoys: as the Italian Court served as a royal residence and hosted important negotiations, foreign diplomats and envoys also stayed here.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
The Prague Groschen \u2013 the First International Currency<\/strong><\/h2>\n\nThe Prague groschen became the first truly international currency. It could be used for payment almost anywhere in Europe, from England to Eastern Europe. Its quality was so high that mints across Europe imitated it. The obverse depicts the royal crown with the ruler\u2019s name, and the reverse shows a crowned double-tailed lion. The Prague groschen was minted for 250 years, from 1300 to 1547, when it was replaced by the thaler. It is estimated that over half a billion coins were produced. <\/p>\n\n
Decline and Restoration<\/h2>\n