Pilgrimage Church of St John of Nepomuk at Zelená Hora
Žďár nad Sázavou, Südmähren, Czechia
13.04.2023
The Johann Nepomuk Pilgrimage Church of Zelená Hora in Žďár nad Sázavou, South Moravia, Czech Republic
The Johann Nepomuk Pilgrimage Church of Zelená Hora, also known as the Pilgrimage Church of St. John of Nepomuk, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Žďár nad Sázavou, a town in the South Moravian region of the Czech Republic. This unique Baroque church was built in the early 18th century and is considered to be one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Central Europe.
The church was designed by the famous architect Jan Blazej Santini-Aichel and was commissioned by the Abbot of the Cistercian monastery in Žďár nad Sázavou, Václav Vejmluva. It is dedicated to Saint John of Nepomuk, a Czech saint who was martyred in the late 14th century.
The church is located on top of a hill, surrounded by a beautiful landscape. Its unique and unconventional design combines elements of Gothic, Baroque, and Renaissance styles, which makes it a masterpiece of Czech Baroque architecture. The ground plan of the church is shaped like a five-pointed star, which is a symbol of Saint John of Nepomuk's five virtues: faith, hope, love, chastity, and obedience.
Inside the church, visitors can admire the stunning frescoes and stucco decorations, as well as the impressive main altar with a statue of Saint John of Nepomuk. The church also houses a famous relic of the saint – a piece of his tongue, which is kept in a silver reliquary.
The Johann Nepomuk Pilgrimage Church of Zelená Hora is not only a significant religious site but also a testament to the genius of Jan Blazej Santini-Aichel. Its unique design and rich history make it a must-visit for anyone interested in architecture and Czech culture.
Weiterführende Links:
- Jan Blazej Santini-Aichel on Wikipedia
- Saint John of Nepomuk on Wikipedia
- Žďár nad Sázavou on Wikipedia
This pilgrimage church, built in honour of St John of Nepomuk, stands at Zelená Hora, not far from Ždár nad Sázavou in Moravia. Constructed at the beginning of the 18th century on a star-shaped plan, it is the most unusual work by the great architect Jan Blazej Santini, whose highly original style falls between neo-Gothic and Baroque.
The Pilgrimage Church of Saint John of Nepomuk (Czech: Poutní kostel svatého Jana Nepomuckého) at Zelená hora (meaning "Green Hill", German: Grünberg) is a religious building at the edge of Žďár nad Sázavou, Czech Republic, near the historical border between Moravia and Bohemia. It is the final work of Jan Santini Aichel, a Bohemian architect who combined the Borrominiesque Baroque with references to Gothic elements in both construction and decoration.
In 1719, when the Roman Catholic Church declared the tongue of John of Nepomuk to be incorruptible, work started to build a church at Zelená hora, where the future saint had received his early education. It was consecrated immediately after John's beatification in 1720, although construction works lumbered on until 1727. Half a century later, after a serious fire, the shape of the roof was altered.
The church, with many furnishings designed by Santini himself, is remarkable for its gothicizing features and complex symbolism, quite unusual for the time. In 1994, it was declared a World Heritage Site. The nomination dossier pointed out Santini's mathematical ratios in its architecture which aimed at "the creation of an independent spatial reality", with "the number 5 being dominant in the layout and proportions" of the church.
