Church of Our Lady of Sorrows (Dobrá Voda u Českých Budějovic)

The Church of Our Lady of Sorrows in Dobrá Voda u Českých Budějovic is a Baroque pilgrimage church regarded as the most important Baroque monument in and around České Budějovice, and one of the leading works of Baroque architecture in the whole of South Bohemia. It stands in the village of Dobrá Voda, about 3 km east of the centre of České Budějovice, in the South Bohemian Region.

How did this pilgrimage site begin?

The story of the sanctuary goes back to 1630–1632, when a small church dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows was built next to a nearby spring believed to have healing properties. Over time, growing numbers of pilgrims came to Dobrá Voda, and the modest original building could no longer accommodate them. Its vault also developed cracks and was at risk of collapse. Faced with this, the authorities of České Budějovice decided to erect a new, much larger church on the same site.

Who designed the present church?

The new building was designed by Kilián Ignác Dientzenhofer, one of the leading architects of Czech Baroque, who was based in Prague. Construction began in 1733. The finished church was consecrated in 1763 by the Prague bishop Jan Ondřej Kayser. The process from the start of construction to consecration therefore spanned three decades, reflecting the scale and care invested in the building.

What makes the architecture distinctive?

The church is built around an oval nave, an unusual plan for a rural church of this period. Its west front is concave and flanked by a prism-shaped tower, giving the building the dynamic rhythm typical of Baroque design. The oval nave is joined by a rectangular presbytery and two shallow side chapels. Above the main nave rises a distinctive bell-shaped dome, visible from a distance and one of the most recognisable features of the church's silhouette.

What is inside the church?

The interior is decorated with frescoes by Václav Vavřinec Reiner, one of the leading Baroque painters working in Prague, who collaborated with Dientzenhofer on several projects. The frescoes, spread across the vault and nave walls, are dominated by biblical scenes. The main altar is the work of G. B. Allio, with paintings added at the end of the 19th century by Bartoloměj Čurna. Together, the Baroque architecture, the frescoes and the altar furnishings make the interior one of the artistically most valuable in the region.

Why does this place matter for the region?

For nearly three centuries, the church in Dobrá Voda has served as a pilgrimage sanctuary tied to the original spring believed to have healing powers. Because of its architectural and artistic significance — combining Dientzenhofer's design, Reiner's frescoes and the historic altar — it is cited as the most important Baroque monument of České Budějovice and its surroundings.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the Church of Our Lady of Sorrows located? It stands in the village of Dobrá Voda u Českých Budějovic, about 3 km east of the centre of České Budějovice, in the South Bohemian Region.

Who designed the church? It was designed by Kilián Ignác Dientzenhofer, with construction starting in 1733.

When was the church consecrated? It was consecrated in 1763 by the Prague bishop Jan Ondřej Kayser.

Where does the pilgrimage tradition here come from? From 1630–1632, when the first, small Church of Our Lady of Sorrows was built next to a nearby spring believed to have healing properties.

What stands out inside the church? Frescoes by Václav Vavřinec Reiner depicting biblical scenes, and a main altar by G. B. Allio with paintings by Bartoloměj Čurna.