Chapel of Saint John of Nepomuk in Havlovice

The Chapel of Saint John of Nepomuk stands in the village of Havlovice, in the Trutnov District of the Hradec Králové Region, in northeastern Czechia. This small brick building belongs to the Roman Catholic parish of Úpice and is one of the village's most recognizable landmarks — fittingly, Saint John of Nepomuk is also the patron saint of Havlovice itself.

What stood here before the chapel was built?

The site's religious history goes back further than the current building. In 1923, a simple wooden bell shrine was erected on land belonging to Josef Král, in a part of the village known as Na Vřese, also called Na Zvonečku — a name that literally references the little bell that hung there. That modest structure served the community for less than a decade before villagers decided to replace it with something more permanent.

When and why was the chapel built?

Construction of the current chapel took place between 1932 and 1934, on land donated by Jakub Kábrta. The chapel was consecrated on 13 May 1934. Along with the new building came an altar and carved decorations produced by the workshop of Břetislav Kafka in Červený Kostelec, including wooden figures of Saint Joseph and Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus.

What does the chapel look like architecturally?

The building is modest in scale, designed as a centrally planned structure on an octagonal ground plan, with a rectangular presbytery attached on the eastern side. The octagonal nave is topped with a pyramidal tent roof, while the presbytery has its own gabled roof with a hip. The main entrance features Baroque-style doors, and daylight enters through four semicircular windows — three set into the nave on its western, southern, and northern sides, and one lighting the presbytery from the east.

Has the chapel changed since it was built?

Yes — in 1994 the chapel underwent renovation. As part of that work, a new bell weighing 53 kilograms was installed, cast at a foundry in Brodek u Přerova. That bell has rung over Havlovice ever since, continuing a tradition of call-to-prayer that stretches back to the original 1920s bell shrine on the same spot.

Why is it worth a stop?

The chapel is a good example of restrained, carefully planned interwar sacred architecture: a compact octagonal volume paired with a tent roof that gives it more visual presence than its small footprint would suggest. For travelers exploring the area around Úpice and the foothills of the Krkonoše (Giant Mountains), it's a brief but worthwhile stop — a tangible record of local devotion and a community building effort from the 1930s.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where exactly is the chapel located? In the village of Havlovice, Trutnov District, Hradec Králové Region, in northeastern Czechia, near the town of Úpice.

When was the chapel built? Between 1932 and 1934, on land donated by Jakub Kábrta; it was consecrated on 13 May 1934.

What stood on this site before? A simple wooden bell shrine from 1923, built on land owned by Josef Král in the part of the village called Na Vřese or Na Zvonečku.

Which parish does the chapel belong to? The Roman Catholic parish of Úpice.

What is the chapel's floor plan? An octagonal nave with a rectangular presbytery attached to the east; the nave has a pyramidal tent roof, the presbytery a gabled roof with a hip.

Has the chapel been renovated? Yes, in 1994, when a new 53-kilogram bell cast in Brodek u Přerova was installed.

What can be seen inside? An altar together with carved figures of Saint Joseph and Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, made by the Břetislav Kafka workshop in Červený Kostelec.