Church of Saint Andrew in Nelahozeves

The Church of Saint Andrew in Nelahozeves sits in the middle of a small village on the left bank of the Vltava, in the Mělník district, a short drive north of Prague. The building stands right next to the Prague–Děčín railway line and today belongs to the Roman Catholic parish of Kralupy nad Vltavou. Most visitors come to Nelahozeves for its Renaissance castle, but the parish church nearby has its own centuries-long story worth a short detour.

Where exactly is the church located?

The church stands within the municipality of Nelahozeves, which today administratively includes not only the original village but also the neighboring settlements of Podhořany, two sections of Hleďsebi, and Lešany. If a database or map lists the church under Lešany, that is not a geographic error — Lešany is simply one of the constituent parts of the same municipality, and the church itself stands close to it, in the central part of Nelahozeves proper, by the railway tracks. Its coordinates (50.262534, 14.3021142) point to that central section, right on the left bank of the river.

How old is the building?

The church's roots go back to the first half of the 14th century, with the earliest written record dating to 1352, when it served as a parish church. Its status shifted several times over the centuries: at one point it became a subsidiary church, in 1787 it functioned only as a local chapel, and on 21 March 1857 it was raised back to parish status. The building's current look comes from a neo-Gothic overhaul carried out during the 18th and 19th centuries, which reshaped the exterior while the core of the structure still carries its medieval origin.

Can visitors go inside today?

Since 2005 the church has operated as a subsidiary church of the Kralupy nad Vltavou parish, meaning there is no resident priest on site and services are held only occasionally. The building recently underwent a major restoration, with construction work finishing in July 2025. A formal reopening ceremony is scheduled for 30 November 2025 at 1:45 pm, marking the end of a long stretch of decline for the structure. Anyone planning a visit around that date will see the church shortly after its facelift.

What else is worth seeing nearby?

Nelahozeves is best known for its Renaissance castle overlooking the Vltava, one of the best-preserved examples of the style in the Czech Republic, and for the riverside walking path that connects easily to a stop at the church. Despite its small size, the village carries a history stretching back to the Middle Ages, something the church's own timeline makes plain.

Frequently asked questions

Is the church in Nelahozeves the same building sometimes listed under Lešany? Yes. Lešany is one of the villages that make up the municipality of Nelahozeves, and the Church of Saint Andrew stands in the central part of Nelahozeves itself, close to that section of the municipality.

How old is the church? The first written mention dates to 1352, though the current neo-Gothic appearance results from rebuilding work carried out in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Is the church open to visitors right now? Restoration work wrapped up in July 2025, with an official reopening set for 30 November 2025 — it's worth checking current opening hours before a visit, since regular services are held only occasionally.

Which parish does the church belong to? Since 2005 it has been a subsidiary church of the Roman Catholic parish of Kralupy nad Vltavou.