Church of Gunther of Bohemia

The Church of Saint Günther (Vintíř) in Dobrá Voda, part of the Hartmanice municipality in the Klatovy district, is a Roman Catholic parish church and the only church in the world dedicated to Saint Günther of Bohemia (Czech: Vintíř). The building is a protected cultural monument of the Czech Republic and stands out among the sacred sites of the Šumava (Bohemian Forest) region for its almost entirely glass interior.

How old is the site, and when was the current church built?

The site has a much longer history than the present building. Archaeological findings show a wooden chapel already stood here in the 12th century. A brick chapel was built in 1618, and in 1706 Baron František Karel Villani commissioned a church on the site, incorporating the walls of the older chapel. Construction of the church in its current form took place gradually between 1706 and 1777.

What happened to the church after World War II?

After 1945, Dobrá Voda fell within the Czechoslovak border zone, a fate that led to the decline or closure of many churches across Šumava. The building in Dobrá Voda was used for decades for non-religious purposes — as a stable and as a storage facility for artillery ammunition. It was restored and reconsecrated in 1995, on the 950th anniversary of Saint Günther's death.

Why is the interior famous among visitors and glass art enthusiasts?

The church's main draw is its glass furnishing, described by experts as a rarity on a European scale. The centerpiece is a monumental glass altar (retable) measuring 5 meters wide and 3.5 meters high, weighing 7 tons. The interior also holds fourteen glass sculptures depicting the Stations of the Cross and a life-size glass statue of Saint Günther. All of these works were created by glass artist Vladimíra Tesařová. The combination of traditional sacred architecture with a fully glass interior makes this church a singular site among Czech churches.

Who was the church dedicated to?

Saint Günther of Bohemia (German: Günther von Niederaltaich), venerated locally as Vintíř, is honored nowhere else in the world with a dedicated church — the Dobrá Voda church holds that distinction uniquely. The dedication itself reflects the local significance of this figure in the Bohemian-Bavarian border region, tied to the settlement history of Šumava.

Where exactly is the church located?

The church stands in the hamlet of Dobrá Voda, administratively part of the Hartmanice municipality in the Klatovy district, South Bohemian Region. Its coordinates are 49.155313 N, 13.437744 E.

Frequently asked questions

Is this the only church in the world dedicated to Saint Günther of Bohemia? Yes, according to available sources it is the only church anywhere carrying this dedication.

What is the main attraction inside the church? A glass altar measuring 5 by 3.5 meters and weighing 7 tons, together with fourteen glass sculptures of the Stations of the Cross and a life-size glass statue of Saint Günther, all created by glass artist Vladimíra Tesařová.

How long did it take to build the current church? The church in its present form was built gradually between 1706 and 1777, though a place of worship had already existed on the site since the 12th century.

Why was the church closed after World War II? Dobrá Voda ended up in the postwar border zone, and the building was used for non-religious purposes — as a stable and an artillery ammunition store — until its restoration and reconsecration in 1995.

Where is Dobrá Voda located? It is a hamlet within the Hartmanice municipality, Klatovy district, in the Šumava region of southern Bohemia.