Church of Our Lady of Sorrows

The Church of Our Lady of Sorrows crowns Boží hora (God's Hill) right above Žulová, a small town in the Jeseník district of Czech Silesia. It is the centerpiece of a local pilgrimage site, reached from town by a Way of the Cross.

Where does the pilgrimage tradition come from?

Local tradition traces devotion on Boží hora back to the 12th century, when an image of Our Lady of Sorrows is said to have hung from a tree on the hill, drawing pilgrims to pray before it. Between 1712 and 1713 a small wooden church dedicated to the Virgin Mary was built on the site, and a year later it was replaced by a larger chapel. That structure did not fare well over time — in 1864 vandals ransacked the interior, even tearing out the altar stone.

What does the church look like today?

The present building was constructed between 1878 and 1880 on the site of the earlier wooden church and was consecrated the same year. It was built in the neo-Gothic style, funded by Heinrich Förster, Bishop of Wrocław. Together with the surrounding structures, the church forms a unified pilgrimage complex at the top of Boží hora.

Who designed the church?

The neo-Gothic design is attributed to Friedrich von Schmidt, a professor at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna, an architect associated with historicist building projects across the Habsburg monarchy.

When can visitors see the church?

The church is open to visitors every Sunday during the school holiday period. Liturgical pilgrimages take place here twice a year, continuing a centuries-old tradition of Marian devotion at the site. Visitors can reach the church on foot via the Way of the Cross leading up from Žulová.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is the church located? On top of Boží hora, above the town of Žulová in the Jeseník district.

Is the church open every day? No — it regularly opens on Sundays during school holidays, and additionally during the twice-yearly pilgrimages.

Where does the devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows here come from? Tradition holds that an image of Our Lady of Sorrows hung from a tree on the hill as early as the 12th century, drawing pilgrims to pray — this is said to be the origin of the pilgrimage site that eventually gained a permanent church.

How do you get to the church? A Way of the Cross leads up the hill from town, walked on foot by pilgrims and visitors alike.