Saint Wenceslas Orthodox Cathedral

The Church of St. Wenceslas in Brno is a modest but historically significant Orthodox church standing at the foot of Špilberk Hill — the first Orthodox place of worship ever built in the city. Today it serves simultaneously as a cathedral and a parish church, forming part of the Brno deanery within the Olomouc-Brno eparchy of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia.

When was the church built?

The foundation stone was blessed on 6 July 1929 by Bishop Gorazd, the driving force behind the revival of Orthodoxy in the Czech and Slovak lands. Construction took less than two years, and the building was consecrated in the spring of 1931, following a design by the Russian architect Pyotr Levitsky. Its completion was a milestone for Brno's small Orthodox congregation, which until then had no dedicated place of worship of its own in the city.

What happened to the church during the war?

The church's history became closely tied to the tragic fate of Bishop Gorazd. After the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich in 1942, German occupation authorities accused the Orthodox Church of having sheltered the assassins, triggering brutal reprisals against its clergy — Gorazd himself was executed. As a result, the church was shut down in 1943, and regular services only resumed once the war had ended and Orthodox community life in Czechoslovakia began to rebuild.

What does the building look like?

Designed in the functionalist style typical of the late 1920s, the church stands on a near-square plan with a Greek cross inscribed within the interior. Its massing rises in stages from a low base toward a drum crowned with a characteristic onion-shaped dome topped by a double-barred Orthodox cross — an instantly recognizable sign of its liturgical tradition, despite the otherwise restrained, modern form of the exterior. A freestanding bell tower was added next to the building in the 1990s, and a thorough renovation in 2003 saw the dome regilded.

What can visitors see inside?

The interior is dominated by the iconostasis, the screen of icons separating the sanctuary from the nave in keeping with Eastern liturgical tradition. Its icons were painted by the academic artist Olga Dyachenko. Despite its modest size, the interior retains the austere, contemplative character typical of functionalist sacred architecture, set off by the richness of the icon painting inside.

What role does the church play today?

The building now functions both as the cathedral of the Olomouc-Brno eparchy and as the parish church of Brno's Orthodox community, hosting regular liturgical services. As the city's only Orthodox place of worship with such a long history, it remains a distinctive landmark on Brno's religious and architectural map.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the Church of St. Wenceslas in Brno located? It stands at the foot of Špilberk Hill, close to the historic centre of Brno.

Who designed the building? The design came from the Russian architect Pyotr Levitsky, and construction took place between 1930 and 1931.

Can visitors go inside? As an active parish and cathedral church, it is generally accessible during services; it's worth checking current opening hours before visiting.

Why was the church closed during the war? After the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich, German occupation authorities targeted the Orthodox Church over alleged links to the assassins, leading to the church's closure in 1943.