Church of Saint Anne in Havířov-Šumbark

The Church of Saint Anne is a classicist Roman Catholic church in Havířov-Šumbark, in the western, oldest part of the city, close to Šumbark Chateau, in the Karviná District of the Moravian-Silesian Region. A single-nave building with an eight-sided front tower topped by a helmet-shaped roof, it has been protected as a cultural monument since 1964 and ranks among the oldest surviving structures in the area — the former village of Šumbark, on whose site Havířov grew up after the Second World War.

Where did the current church come from?

Before today's building, a wooden church stood on the same spot, but it burned down during the night of 29–30 October 1823. The new brick church was built between 1841 and 1845, designed by the architect J. Hermann of Hradiště: the foundation stone was laid on 28 April 1841, and the building was consecrated on 27 July 1845, right after the July feast day of its patron saint. Construction was financed by Ludwig and Anna Neisser, a married couple whose remains rest beneath the main altar — which is also why the new church was dedicated to Saint Anne. The masonry work was carried out by Jan Herman of Hradiště, with carpentry by Antonín Kelle.

What does the church's architecture look like?

The church was designed in the late classicist (Empire) style, as a subsidiary church for the then-village of Šumbark. It is a single-nave building of solid masonry construction, with three adjoining side apses. Its most recognizable feature, visible from a distance, is the eight-sided front tower crowned with a helmet-shaped roof, along with segmented arched windows — these are the elements of the original building that have survived largely unchanged and are the main reason for its protected cultural-monument status.

Why was the church extended in the 1970s?

The founding and rapid growth of Havířov as a new industrial city after 1955 meant existing churches could no longer keep up with the growing number of worshippers. In the late 1960s, building an entirely new church was considered, but for financial reasons the parish opted to extend the existing building instead. The work, designed by Z. Kostelecký, ran between 1970 and 1973 and focused mainly on enlarging the presbytery. At the same time, the church received a new resin-based front façade that differs noticeably from the original classicist look — a change still sometimes criticized today as a poor fit for the building's historic character.

Where exactly does the church stand?

The church stands in the western part of Havířov, in the historic district of Šumbark, close to Šumbark Chateau — one of the few spots in the city that recalls the era before the postwar, socialist-era Havířov was built. Its coordinates are approximately 49.787 N, 18.418 E.

Why is it worth a visit?

The Church of Saint Anne is a rare survivor in Havířov of a building predating the city's era of heavy industrialization — a church that outlasted the fire that destroyed its wooden predecessor, a mid-19th-century classicist rebuild, and a socialist-era extension in the 1970s, all while keeping its distinctive eight-sided tower. It makes a good starting point for a walk through Šumbark, one of the oldest parts of the city, which is otherwise mostly associated with postwar apartment-block architecture.

Frequently asked questions

When was the Church of Saint Anne in Havířov built? The current brick church was built between 1841 and 1845, on the site of an earlier wooden church that burned down in 1823.

Who financed the construction of the church? Construction was financed by Ludwig and Anna Neisser, a married couple whose remains rest beneath the main altar.

In what style was the church built? In the late classicist (Empire) style, with a distinctive eight-sided front tower topped by a helmet-shaped roof.

Has the church been renovated? Yes — between 1970 and 1973 the presbytery was enlarged and a new front façade was added, in response to the growing population after the founding of the new city of Havířov.

Where exactly is the church located? In the western part of Havířov, in the district of Šumbark, close to Šumbark Chateau.