Church of Saint George

The Church of Saint George stands in Luková, a small village that belongs to the municipality of Manětín in the Pilsen Region of western Bohemia. Consecrated back in 1352, the building has stood abandoned for decades, wrapped in local legends of hauntings — and today it draws visitors precisely because of that reputation, combined with a striking art installation that now fills its ruined interior.

How do you get to the church in Luková?

Luková sits off the main routes, a short drive from the center of Manětín, surrounded by the quiet, rural countryside typical of the Pilsen Region. A car is by far the easiest way to reach it, and the drive itself — along scenic, lightly trafficked back roads — is part of the appeal. The church occupies a small rise just outside the village and is visible from a distance thanks to its distinctive silhouette and tower. Because the building keeps very limited hours, it's worth planning the trip around its opening schedule rather than showing up on a whim.

What will you see inside?

The building's history stretches back to the 14th century, but its current appearance mostly dates from a rebuilding after a fire at the end of the 18th century, when it was reconstructed in neo-Romanesque and neo-Gothic style. Disaster struck again in 1968, when the roof collapsed during a funeral service taking place inside — since then the structure has continued to deteriorate, even though it has been officially protected as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic since 1958.

It was exactly this state of abandonment, and the ghost stories that grew around it, that inspired art student Jakub Hadrava to install his 2012 graduate thesis project, titled "Má mysl" ("My Mind"), inside the damp, rubble-strewn nave. Thirty-two spectral figures — sculpted from canvas and curtain fabric dipped in plaster and cast from real people — now sit silently in the pews. They are meant to represent the local Sudeten German congregation that once worshipped here before being forcibly expelled after the Second World War. The result is genuinely haunting: rows of pale, faceless figures inside a crumbling church have made this one of the most photographed and talked-about sights in this part of the Czech Republic, widely known simply as the "ghost church."

When should you visit?

The church is open to the public only seasonally, from May through October, and only on Saturdays between 1 pm and 4 pm. Outside that narrow window the building stays locked, so visitors need to time their trip carefully around both the season and the day of the week. Admission is free, though donations toward the building's upkeep and future conservation are welcomed.

Frequently asked questions

Is the church in Luková actually haunted? Ghost stories have circulated among local residents for decades, and they directly inspired the artistic installation of ghostly figures, but there are no documented paranormal accounts — the site's appeal rests on atmosphere and history rather than verified phenomena.

How much does it cost to visit? Entry is free. Voluntary donations are accepted to help maintain the badly deteriorated building.

Can I visit outside the main season? No. The church only opens on Saturdays from May to October, between 1 pm and 4 pm. At all other times it remains closed to visitors.

Where do the ghost sculptures inside come from? They're the work of art student Jakub Hadrava, created in 2012 as his graduate thesis "Má mysl." The 32 canvas-and-plaster figures represent the German-speaking residents of the region who were expelled after World War II.