Church of Our Lady (Klášterec nad Ohří)

The Church of Our Lady in Klášterec nad Ohří is a Baroque-Rococo cemetery church standing in the northwestern part of town, along Karlovarská street. It may look modest next to the nearby Thun family château, but for generations it has held a distinct place in local life — serving both as the town's cemetery parish church and as a small pilgrimage destination.

When was the church built?

The current building dates from 1743–1760 and was designed by architect J. K. Kosche. It wasn't the first sacred structure on this spot, though: an earlier cemetery chapel had stood here since around 1500. As the parish outgrew that modest chapel, the decision was made to erect a larger church reflecting the architectural fashion of the era — a blend of late Baroque form with Rococo detailing. The same architect who designed the church was also responsible for the adjacent mortuary, built a few years later in 1764–1765.

What can you see inside?

The interior follows a single-nave layout with a distinctive elliptical presbytery and two side sacristies functioning as chapels, lit from above through skylights set into the vaulting. The barrel-vaulted ceilings are decorated with frescoes dating from 1789, and much of the furnishing has retained its character from the time of construction — a rarity among churches in this region, many of which lost their original interiors during later renovations. On the exterior, the two towers flanking the main façade at an angle stand out, a layout typical of Central European Rococo church architecture.

Why is it a pilgrimage site?

The church has long served as a center of Marian devotion. It houses a Gothic wooden statue of the Virgin Mary dated to 1480–1490 — considerably older than the current building itself, suggesting the statue was carried over from the earlier chapel that once stood on the site. Also venerated here is a Marian image from 1765, regarded locally as miraculous. It's this combination of the old statue and the Baroque-era image that turned the church into a modest pilgrimage destination for the surrounding area.

What else is worth seeing nearby?

The church is surrounded by a cemetery containing numerous notable 19th- and 20th-century gravestones, of interest to anyone curious about the region's local history and funerary art. Right next to the church stands the mortuary built in 1764–1765, completing the small Baroque religious complex. The whole site sits away from Klášterec's main tourist flow, making it a quiet spot to explore.

Frequently asked questions

When was the church built? Between 1743 and 1760, designed by architect J. K. Kosche.

Was there an earlier building on this site? Yes — a cemetery chapel dating back to around 1500 previously stood here.

What's the main highlight inside? The Gothic statue of the Virgin Mary from 1480–1490 and the vault frescoes from 1789.

Is this a pilgrimage church? Yes. The old Marian statue and a painting from 1765 considered miraculous have long drawn pilgrims from the wider region.

Where exactly is the church located? In the northwestern part of Klášterec nad Ohří, on Karlovarská street, surrounded by a cemetery with historic gravestones.