Church of St. John the Baptist / Kostel Sv. Jana Krtitele - Opava, CZ
N 49° 56.192 E 017° 54.365
33U E 708529 N 5535622
Small Church of St. John the Baptist (Kostel Sv. Jana Krtitele), founded by Order of St. John in 1359 together with order's commandry, belongs despite austere exterior among the most valuable historic monuments of town Opava.
Waymark Code: WMV59Y
Location: Moravskoslezský kraj, Czechia
Date Posted: 02/26/2017
Views: 27
Small Church of St. John the Baptist (Kostel Sv. Jana Krtitele), founded by Order of St. John in 1359 together with order's commandry, belongs despite austere exterior among the most valuable historic monuments of town Opava.
The history of the church is intimately connected with activity of the Knights Hospitallers (Maltese Knights/Order of St. John) in Silesia and Opava. Opava' duke Nicolas II. (Mikuláš II. Opavský) founded hospital with chapel of St. Nicolas in ca 1330 and placed them in the custody of Knights Hospitallers in 1350. Order started with construction of a new church of St. John the Baptist, which was consecrated probably in 1359. The adjacent order's commandry was estabilished around 1377.
Originally Gothic three-nave church of hall type with pentagonal presbytery was during Opava turbulent history heavily damaged, reconstructed and reshaped several times. After minor extensions (sacristy, hall and treasury room) in the 15th century was the first principal Baroque (mostly) interior reconstruction made after city' fire (1689) during the beginning of the 18th century. The next changes were made in the 19th century when the new Classicist front facade was constructed. Today's appearance is a result of the post WWII reconstruction (church was again heavily damaged during Opava' liberation in spring 1945).