Church of Saint Bartholomew (Křepice)

St. Bartholomew's Church stands in the centre of Křepice, a village in the Břeclav District of the South Moravian Region in the Czech Republic. It is a Roman Catholic parish church, protected as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic, and today serves as the seat of the Křepice u Hustopečí parish.

What does the church in Křepice look like?

The building has a single-nave, east-oriented layout, with the chancel closed by a semicircular apse. A square tower rises above the front facade, clearly visible from the surrounding village streets. The overall design blends late Baroque forms with emerging Classicism — a style typical of the late 18th century, during the Josephine reforms in the Habsburg monarchy. This mix of styles makes the church an interesting example of transitional architecture from that era, well preserved despite several later building phases.

What is the history of the church?

The present church was completed in 1791, built on the site of an earlier medieval church that had previously been demolished. Half a century later, in 1845, the interior was vaulted and the music gallery was enlarged to serve the growing parish. The distinctive tower on the front facade, today the building's most recognisable feature, was not added until 1851 — meaning the church stood without it in its current form for six decades after construction was finished. These successive stages — vaulting, an enlarged gallery, and finally the tower — show how the building gradually took on the appearance visitors see today.

What is worth seeing inside?

The interior holds three altars. The main altar features a Calvary scene in its background. Of particular historical value are the three bells, moved into the new building from the old, demolished church — making them older than the church structure itself. The largest, decorated with the coat of arms of the Pernstein family, was cast in 1522. The middle bell dates from 1490, and the smallest, used as a funeral bell, from 1738. As a result, a single tower brings together metal witnesses to three different centuries of the parish's history, each bell older than any other part of the present building.

Frequently asked questions

Where is St. Bartholomew's Church located? In the village of Křepice, in the Břeclav District of the South Moravian Region, in the south-eastern part of the Czech Republic.

What architectural style does the building represent? A transitional style between late Baroque and early Classicism, typical of the late 18th century.

When was the current church built? It was completed in 1791, on the site of an earlier medieval church.

What makes the church bells notable? Three bells were transferred from the older church — the oldest dates from 1490, another from 1522 (bearing the Pernstein coat of arms), and the youngest, a funeral bell, from 1738.

Is the church a protected monument? Yes, it is listed as a cultural monument (kulturní památka) under Czech law.