Church of Saint Bartholomew in Rejštejn

The Church of Saint Bartholomew is a Gothic church that rises above Rejštejn, a small town in the Šumava mountains at the point where the Losenice stream meets the Otava river. Set on a low hill, the building has been the most recognizable landmark of this former gold-panning settlement for centuries. Its onion-domed tower with an octagonal lantern is visible from a distance and shapes the town's skyline at once.

When was the church built, and how has it changed over time?

The single-nave structure is Gothic in origin, dating from either the second half of the 14th century or the first half of the 15th, though the earliest written record of it only appears in 1570. Baroque-era alterations followed in the 17th and 18th centuries, and a larger round of repairs took place in 1792. Two major restorations in the 20th century, between 1963 and 1976 and again between 1993 and 1995, kept the building in the good condition visitors see today.

What can visitors find inside?

The interior holds three Baroque altars. The main altar carries a Rococo superstructure with an image of Saint Bartholomew, while the two side altars stand out for their richly carved acanthus ornamentation, probably dating from the first half of the 18th century. A rare Gothic bell from the 14th century hangs in the church, one of the few survivors of its age in the Šumava region. In 1994, two new bells were donated by a native of Rejštejn who had settled in Bavaria. The church also houses a single-manual organ from the early 20th century, built by Joseph Matyáš Wunsche. A 15th-century Gothic statue of the Madonna that once belonged to the church's furnishings was stolen in the 1950s and never recovered.

What surrounds the church itself?

A cemetery encircles the building, enclosed by a Baroque stone wall that reaches as much as 4 meters in height on its northern side. A gate flanked by four-sided pillars and fitted with metal rod doors marks the entrance to the cemetery, while a stone staircase leads up to the church's main door. A mortuary building from around the mid-19th century also stands within the grounds. Together, the church, wall and mortuary form a coherent, well-preserved example of a rural churchyard complex typical of the Šumava region.

What role does the church play today?

Until 2019, the church served as Rejštejn's own parish church. Since January 1, 2020, following the dissolution of the independent parish, it has functioned as a subsidiary church under the parish of Kašperské Hory. The building is listed as a protected cultural monument under Czech law. Rejštejn itself, now home to only a few hundred residents, was granted royal town status by Emperor Rudolf II in 1584 thanks to profitable gold panning in the Losenice valley — mining only gave way to glassmaking in the area during the 17th century.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is the Church of Saint Bartholomew located? In Rejštejn in the Šumava mountains, Klatovy district, on a small hill above the Losenice stream, about 15 km south of Sušice.

How old is the building? It is a Gothic church from either the second half of the 14th century or the first half of the 15th, first documented in writing in 1570.

Is it still an active parish church? No — since 2020 it has been a subsidiary church of the Kašperské Hory parish, having previously been an independent parish.

What is the most valuable item inside? A rare 14th-century Gothic bell, one of the few surviving objects of its kind in the Šumava region.

Is the site legally protected? Yes, the church and its surroundings are listed as a protected cultural monument of the Czech Republic.