Mikulov and surrounding

Church of St. Wenceslas

Church of St. Wenceslas

The church was erected in the place of the former earliest Romanesque church whose existence is assumed since late 12th century. The core of the present building of the church comes from early 15th century. The overall appearance is the result of reconstructions in 16th and mid 17th centuries. Since 1625 the church has been seat of the Collegiate Chapter.

The present St. Wenceslas´ Church is situated in the original village, which later became part of Mikulov. The existence of the Romanesque church in the same place is assumed since late 12th century, but documented in writing since 1276. The original appearance of the church is not known. The present building core dates from early 15th century and shows influence of Petr Parléř´s style. Completion of the church construction was interrupted by the siege of the town by the Hussite army in 1426, when the new building was burnt and destroyed. For a long time the church was only provisionally repaired and burnt again in 1584. A year later, already under the Dietrichsteins, significant representatives of recatholisation, the church tower was extended with a residential floor with the apartment of the tower guard and an arcade gallery. The construction was completed around 1640 when the three naves were provided with a new vault with stucco decorations, a new vestry with music choir was built and the Gothic windows were adapted to the present appearance. Marian chapels were attached to the sides of the three-nave main building and an oratory for the nobility with an enclosed corridor towards the chateau was built then. In 1642 a large bell was installed in the tower with the relief of Small Calvary and the figure of Prevost Jiří Otislav of Kopenice. At that time St. Wenceslas´ Church had for several years been the seat of the Collegiate Chapter, founded in 1625 by František, Cardinal of Dietrichstein. The Collegiate Chapter has been active in Mikulov since. In the years 1762-1775 the church interior was newly equipped, including a new organ, and the tower roof was reconstructed. In 1846 the church itself was provided with a new roof too.

The gemstones of the interior decorations and equipment include the high altar with the monumental painting of St. Wenceslas Murder by František Anton of Freenthal and the statuette of Madonna and Child of cedar wood in the altar of the northern chapel of Virgin Mary of Loretta, originally located in the Loretan church of St. Anne. Since after 1784 the northern niche of the choir has been decorated with marble epitaphs of Václav Vilém Popel of Lobkovice (+1626) and his wife Markéta Františka, born Dietrichstein (+1617), with portraits of the two deceased. Along the outer wall of the church there is a row of tombs from the latter half of 16th and former half of 17th centuries.

Opening hours

  • during the Church service
  • July – August
    • Monday – Sunday 10.00 – 12.00 a.m., 1.00 – 6.00 p.m.
  • By arrangement in other months of the year.
    • Admission: free