Church of Holy Name of Jesus

The Church of the Holy Name of Jesus stands on the main square of Telč, one of the best-preserved Renaissance and Baroque towns in Moravia, whose historic centre has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1992. Built as part of a Jesuit foundation, the church still surprises visitors with an unusual layout relative to the square it faces.

How do you get to the church?

The building sits on náměstí Zachariáše z Hradce, Telč's main square, just a few minutes' walk from the town hall and the chateau. The easiest way to reach Telč is by car or bus from Jihlava, roughly 30 kilometres away, or from Znojmo further south - the town lies on the route linking southern Moravia with the Vysočina highlands. Because the square itself is a pedestrian zone lined with arcaded Renaissance houses, the final stretch to the church is always covered on foot.

What will you see there?

Unlike most Baroque churches, this one does not present its main facade to the square - instead, a side facade faces the town's central space, a layout rarely used in sacred architecture of the period. Twin towers crown the Baroque structure and are visible above the surrounding rooftops from across the town. The church adjoins the former Jesuit college, built between 1651 and 1655, whose ground floor still features cross vaulting. After the Jesuit order was dissolved, the college building changed function several times - serving as military barracks, then a school and a museum - and today houses a secondary school. Interior access to the church itself is limited, so most visitors take in the Baroque facade and towers from the square rather than stepping inside.

What is the history behind it?

The church was funded by Countess Františka Slavatová and completed in 1669, though some sources place the finish of the main construction phase in 1667 - a discrepancy that reflects the staged nature of the whole Jesuit complex's construction. The adjoining college was built slightly earlier, between 1651 and 1655. Both buildings now form part of Telč's protected historic centre, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1992 together with the town's entire urban layout.

When should you visit?

Spring and summer are the best times to see Telč, when the square is at its liveliest and the evening light flatters the Baroque facades around it. Late morning is a good window for photographs, since the sun then falls directly on the church's street-facing side. Outside the high season the town is noticeably quieter, which makes for calmer walks, though interior access to the church can be even more limited during that time.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is the church located? On náměstí Zachariáše z Hradce, Telč's main square, in the Jihlava District of the Vysočina Region.

Who funded the church? Countess Františka Slavatová, as part of a wider Jesuit foundation that also included the adjoining college.

What makes it different from typical Baroque churches? Its facade faces the square from the side rather than the front, an unusual choice for religious architecture of that era.

Can you visit the interior? Interior access is limited, so many visitors experience the church mainly from the outside while walking through the UNESCO-listed square.