Church of All Saints in Lázně Bělohrad

Church of All Saints is a Baroque parish church in Lázně Bělohrad, a small spa town in the Hradec Králové Region of northeastern Czechia. Its two-storey tower with a clock makes it the town's most recognizable landmark, visible for miles around thanks to its commanding position.

Where exactly is the church?

The church stands where the town meets the road out toward Hořice, close to the local Fričov Museum. That places it just outside the compact historic center, though still an easy walk from the main square — a typical setting for parish churches in the Podkrkonoší region.

How far back does the parish go?

A church on this spot — reportedly built of wood according to local tradition — is first recorded as a parish church in 1360, centuries before the building seen today. That earlier, Gothic structure stood until the early 17th century, when it suffered heavy damage during the Thirty Years' War and remained in poor condition for decades afterward.

Who commissioned the current building?

The rebuilding was initiated by Berthold Wilhelm of Valdštejn, then owner of the local estate, who had also built the nearby castle. Construction of the new Baroque church ran from 1689 to 1700, culminating in its consecration in 1700. The architect Giovanni Santini is associated with the project — though the finished church follows a fairly classical Baroque design rather than the bolder Gothic-Baroque hybrid style he later became known for elsewhere.

What can you see inside and out?

The building is surprisingly substantial for such a small town: 34 metres long, 11 metres wide, and 19 metres high. Inside, the main draw is the fresco above the high altar, painted in 1788 and attributed to Josef Kramolín, a painter active in the region working for local nobility and clergy at the time. The clock tower itself, visible from many points around town, has long served as an unofficial symbol of Lázně Bělohrad.

Is it a protected landmark?

The Church of All Saints has been legally protected as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic since 3 May 1958. That status covers the whole structure, from the Baroque exterior to its 18th-century interior decoration, ensuring its preservation regardless of later administrative or ownership changes in the town.

Frequently asked questions

Is this the same church as the one in nearby Byšičky? No. The Church of All Saints stands in Lázně Bělohrad itself, on the road toward Hořice. It is a separate building from the Church of Sts. Peter and Paul in the nearby village of Byšičky, even though both fall within the same municipality.

How old is the church? The current Baroque building dates from 1689–1700, but a parish and an earlier Gothic church on the same site are already documented from 1360.

Who built the present church? The rebuilding was commissioned by Berthold Wilhelm of Valdštejn, owner of the local estate and founder of the nearby castle.

Is the church a legally protected monument? Yes, it has been listed as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic since 1958.

What is the most notable feature inside? The 1788 fresco above the high altar, attributed to Josef Kramolín.