Church of St. Wenceslas / Filiální kostel sv. Václava (Ostrava - North Moravia)
N 49° 50.141 E 018° 17.678
34U E 305466 N 5523872
The Gothic church of St. Wenceslas (Kostel Sv. Václava), built on Romanesque foundations, is the oldest surviving building in Ostrava and also the oldest Catholic church in North-Moravian metropolis.
Waymark Code: WMFKD0
Location: Moravskoslezský kraj, Czechia
Date Posted: 10/29/2012
Views: 47
The Gothic church of St. Wenceslas (Kostel Sv. Václava), built on Romanesque foundations, is the oldest surviving building in Ostrava and also the oldest Catholic church in North-Moravian metropolis.
The evidence shows that a church was present on the site before the actual foundation of the original settlement. The church was the only stone building in the Slavic village, forming both its geographical centre and the heart of its cultural life.
Nowadays, nothing remains of the square-plan presbytery and triple nave of the original church, which was demolished in the early 14th century. Present structure was evidently built during the reign of king John of Luxembourg (1310–1346). The appearance of the original church has changed greatly over the centuries as a result of several reconstructions. The originally Gothic tower was rebuilt in Renaissance style in 1594. Two Baroque chapels were added in the 17th century, as was the side chapel of the Virgin Mary. The church's interior is beautifully decorated with heraldic motifs.