Chapel of All Saints

The Chapel of All Saints is a small Orthodox shrine on Husova Street in České Budějovice, on the west bank of the Vltava River. Behind its modest walls lies more than 150 years of shifting history, from a Catholic chapel funded by a Czech industrialist to today's home of the local Orthodox community.

Where does this chapel come from?

The building went up in 1869, financed and initiated by Vojtěch Lanna the Younger, a member of a well-known Czech industrialist family tied to river navigation and canal construction. It was originally dedicated to Saint Adalbert (Vojtěch) and became the first place of worship on the western bank of the Vltava in České Budějovice — until then, that side of the river had no church or chapel of its own.

For over a century the building served Catholic worshippers as an auxiliary chapel. Everything changed after 1989, when the building passed into the hands of the local Orthodox community. The Roman Catholic diocese and the city council leased the chapel to the Orthodox Church for a symbolic fee, and since 1992 it has functioned as the Chapel of All Saints of the Czech Lands — same building, new dedication, new congregation.

What should you know before visiting?

The chapel sits on Husova Street, in a quiet part of town across the river from the historic main square. It's a good stop for travelers who, after taking in the main square, want a glimpse of a less touristy, more local side of České Budějovice. The building itself is a modest hall chapel — no towering spire or elaborate façade, its character coming instead from the understated, functional style of 19th-century sacred architecture rather than grand scale.

Regular Orthodox services take place inside on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. Worth keeping in mind when planning a visit: this remains an active place of worship, so it's best to time a visit outside liturgy hours, or to quietly attend a service if one happens to be underway.

How do you get there?

Husova Street is an easy walk from the center of České Budějovice — roughly a quarter of an hour on foot from Přemysl Otakar II Square, after crossing the Vltava. It makes a good extension to a walk through the old town, taking you to a bank of the river that looks nothing like the postcard-perfect main square.

Who is this for?

The chapel will appeal mainly to travelers interested in the region's religious history and to anyone curious about a living trace of Orthodox presence in South Bohemia — a rarer sight here than in many other parts of the country. It's also worth a detour for fans of church architecture looking for something less obvious than the Cathedral of St. Nicholas or the church of the same name on the main square.

Frequently asked questions

Can you visit the chapel? As an active Orthodox place of worship, the chapel is accessible mainly during services, held on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.

Which denomination does the chapel serve today? Since 1992 it has been an Orthodox shrine, the Chapel of All Saints of the Czech Lands, after more than a century as a Catholic chapel dedicated to Saint Adalbert.

Is this the only Orthodox chapel in České Budějovice? It functions as the main gathering place for the local Orthodox community, serving the needs of Orthodox worshippers in the region.

How far is it from the main square? The chapel is on the opposite bank of the Vltava, about a fifteen-minute walk from the historic center and Přemysl Otakar II Square.