Church of Saint Gall (Brloh)

The Church of Saint Gall in Brloh is a small, currently disused church standing in a cemetery on the southern edge of Brloh, a locality that forms part of the town of Louny in the Czech Republic. Protected as a cultural monument since 1964, the building's roots go back to the mid-14th century.

Where is the church located?

The church stands within the grounds of the old cemetery in Brloh, at the southern end of this part of Louny. Its coordinates are 50.317949, 13.825366. It is a single-nave structure built from broken opuka stone, a local material typical of this part of the Czech Republic.

What is the history of the Church of Saint Gall?

The first written mention of a church at this site dates back to 1355, making it one of the older sacred sites in the Louny area. After 1632 the building fell into disrepair and remained in poor condition for a long period. Its current, late Baroque appearance comes from a rebuilding carried out in 1763, commissioned by Count Karel Pachta. It is this Baroque form — despite the building's much older origins — that visitors see today.

The church served as a filial (subsidiary) place of worship, administered by the parish priest from the nearby town of Cítoliby. Services stopped after the death of the last priest who cared for it, František Malý, in 1985. Since then the building has stood unused, and the lack of regular upkeep has taken a visible toll on its condition.

What condition is the church in today?

The church has been struggling with serious structural problems for years. Provisional protective measures are in place to slow the further deterioration of the walls and roof, but they do not replace a full restoration. The estimated cost of a complete repair exceeds 100 million Czech crowns, which illustrates the scale of the damage.

Ownership of the building has passed to the town of Louny, which acquired the church with the aim of saving it — making Brloh the third church now owned by the town. The change of ownership opens the door to applying for restoration funding, although the rebuilding process itself is expected to take a long time.

What can be seen inside?

The interior still holds part of its historical furnishings, even though the building has not served a liturgical function for decades. Visitors can find pews, a pulpit and a baptismal font inside. Among the more valuable elements are a Baroque statue of Saint John of Nepomuk and a majolica holy water font decorated with a relief of Saint Catherine. These details show that, despite its modest size, the church was once a carefully furnished village place of worship.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Church of Saint Gall in Brloh open to visitors? The building has not held services since 1985 and is in poor structural condition, so visitors should not assume free access to the interior — the current protective measures are meant to keep the building from deteriorating further, not to accommodate sightseeing.

How old is the church? The first mention dates from 1355, but the church owes its present late Baroque look to a 1763 rebuilding commissioned by Count Karel Pachta.

Why is the church in such poor condition? After services ended in 1985, the building was left without regular maintenance, which led to serious structural damage. Repairs are now estimated to cost more than 100 million Czech crowns.

Who owns the church? The church belongs to the town of Louny, which took it over with the intention of saving the monument — it is the third church now owned by the town.

What material was the church built from? It is a single-nave building constructed from broken opuka stone, a material typical of this part of the Czech Republic.