Chapel of Saint Mary of Help

The Chapel of Saint Mary of Help is a small Baroque chapel in Brtnice, standing on a rise along Na Kapli street, just above náměstí Svobody and directly across from the local castle. It's exactly the kind of modest, easy-to-miss monument that rewards visitors who take the time to wander through the old part of this small town in the Jihlava District, Vysočina Region.

How do you get there?

Brtnice sits a short drive from Jihlava, so the easiest approach is by car or regional bus, followed by a short walk into the town center. The chapel occupies a clearly elevated spot above náměstí Svobody, so it's visible almost as soon as you reach the square — simply head toward the castle and look for Na Kapli street, which leads straight up to the chapel walls. The whole walk from the center takes only a few minutes, and the slope is gentle enough for any visitor.

What's the history behind this place?

The chapel was built between 1672 and 1673, funded by Count František z Collalto, a member of the family that owned Brtnice Castle for generations and held considerable influence in the town. It was constructed as a modest, single-nave sacred building, typical of small noble-funded chapels of that era — without the scale of a parish church, but with a distinctive Baroque form that still stands out among the surrounding houses today.

Its history wasn't entirely uninterrupted, though. In 1784 the chapel was deconsecrated, a fate shared by many small sacred foundations across the Habsburg monarchy during the Josephine church reforms, which reorganized or closed numerous minor religious institutions. Despite this, the chapel's structure survived intact and is today listed as a protected cultural monument of the Czech Republic.

What will you see around the chapel?

On either side of the chapel stand small houses dating from the 18th and 19th centuries. These originally served as a hospice for elderly women, a kind of almshouse attached to the chapel — a common arrangement in small towns of that period. Today the buildings function as municipal social housing, but their historic form and their arrangement around the chapel remain intact, so the whole ensemble still reads as a coherent, intimate piece of townscape.

The chapel also marks one of the stops along the Brtnická stezka (Brtnice Trail), a local walking route connecting the town's main points of interest. That makes it easy to combine a stop at the chapel with a visit to the castle and náměstí Svobody in a single short walk.

When is the best time to visit?

Since the chapel is viewed mainly from the outside, and its main appeal lies in its elevated position and proximity to the castle, the warmer half of the year is the most pleasant time to explore Brtnice's hilly old town on foot. Morning or late-afternoon light works especially well for photos, setting the Baroque silhouette nicely against the sky.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you go inside the Chapel of Saint Mary of Help? The chapel was deconsecrated in 1784 and has not served a regular religious function since, so visits are mainly about viewing the exterior rather than entering the building.

Who funded the chapel's construction? Count František z Collalto, a member of the family that held Brtnice Castle for generations, funded its construction in 1672–1673.

Is there anything else worth seeing nearby? Yes — the chapel is flanked by former almshouse buildings from the 18th–19th centuries and lies on the Brtnice Trail, close to the castle and náměstí Svobody.

Is the chapel a protected monument? Yes, it is listed as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic.