All Saints church (Místek)

All Saints' Church in Místek is a modest Baroque church on the busy Frýdlantská street, standing at the edge of a municipal park in the Místek district of Frýdek-Místek, Czech Republic (coordinates 49.672547, 18.342975). It is one of the oldest surviving religious buildings in this part of the city and a quiet reminder of an epidemic that struck the town in the early 18th century.

Why was the church built?

The church was funded by a married couple, Rudolf and Rozina Widomus, as an offering of thanks for surviving the plague epidemic that ravaged Místek in 1715. Construction happened in two distinct phases: the polygonal presbytery was built first, between 1716 and 1720, while the nave and the choir loft followed later, between 1728 and 1730. The whole project therefore stretched across roughly fifteen years.

What does the church look like architecturally?

The building has a simple rectangular layout, closed on the eastern side by a polygonal sanctuary with an attached side sacristy. Its style is early Baroque with late Renaissance touches, most visible in the vaulting. Two small turrets rise above the roofline, and one of the more unusual construction details is the staircase leading up to the choir loft — instead of running inside the building, it is attached to the outside of the entrance wall. The sculptural decoration was created by Jan Kammerreit of Olomouc and Matěj Weissman of Frýdek. A burial crypt lies beneath the choir. Between 1890 and 1891 the roof was re-covered with slate, and both turrets were clad in copper sheeting.

Who is buried inside the church?

The crypt holds the remains of the church's founders, Rudolf and Rozina Widomus. Their likenesses, carved in stone, can still be seen in the main nave on the epistle side — that is, on the right-hand side when facing the altar from the entrance.

What role did the church play in the town's history?

The building originally stood in the so-called Upper Suburb of the former town of Místek and served as a cemetery church, with local residents buried in the grounds around it. That cemetery remained in use until 1893, when it was closed and the land was converted into a municipal park. The church survived this transformation and still stands at the edge of that park today, even though it now directly borders the busy Frýdlantská thoroughfare.

Has the church been restored?

After 1989, once political conditions in Czechoslovakia changed, the church underwent a comprehensive restoration. Thanks to that work, the building remains in good technical condition and still serves its religious function, even though its original cemetery surroundings gave way to parkland long ago.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is All Saints' Church in Místek located?

On Frýdlantská street, at the edge of a municipal park in the Místek district of Frýdek-Místek (coordinates 49.672547, 18.342975).

When was the church built?

Construction began in 1716 with the presbytery and was completed in 1730 with the nave and choir loft.

Who funded the church and why?

It was funded by the married couple Rudolf and Rozina Widomus as thanks for surviving the 1715 plague epidemic.

Was there a cemetery next to the church?

Yes, the church served as a cemetery church until 1893, after which the site was turned into a municipal park where the building still stands today.

What is architecturally distinctive about the building?

Its two small roof turrets and the staircase to the choir loft, which runs along the outside of the entrance wall rather than inside the church.