Church of Saint George

Church of Saint George stands on a gentle hillock in the northern part of Štítary, a small village in the Czech Republic. Modest at first glance, the building preserves architectural traces reaching back to the Middle Ages, making it a rewarding stop for travelers interested in lesser-known rural churches away from the main tourist trails.

What can you see at the Church of Saint George?

The building combines a rectangular, flat-ceilinged nave with an offset, square presbytery covered by a barrel vault. A tower rises above the presbytery, and a narrower sacristy, also flat-ceilinged, is attached on the eastern side. The exterior walls show a restrained, unadorned division, and the western façade is finished with a low neo-Baroque gable, a mark of a later remodeling phase.

Despite that Baroque-era touch, a closer look reveals much older layers of construction. The most distinctive feature is the set of semicircular, Romanesque-style windows in both the nave and the presbytery — a detail rarely preserved in such a legible form. A niche in the southern wall of the presbytery is another surviving trace of the church's original medieval build.

What is worth knowing about the surroundings?

The church does not stand alone: it is enclosed by an active parish cemetery, itself surrounded by a stone wall. Access to the grounds is through a pillared gate and a smaller side gate, while a retaining wall with steps helps visitors move across the uneven, elevated terrain. The entire ensemble — the church, the surrounding wall, the retaining wall with steps, and the cemetery plots — is protected as a kulturní památka, the Czech designation for a listed cultural monument.

How do you get to the church in Štítary?

Štítary is a small village in the Czech Republic, and the church occupies a raised spot in its northern part, which makes it visible from some distance away. The easiest way to reach it is by car via the local roads leading into the village; once there, simply head toward the visible tower to find the church and its adjoining cemetery.

When is the best time to visit?

Since an active cemetery surrounds the church, visitors should plan their trip with consideration for people paying respects to relatives — keeping noise down and behaving respectfully, especially around All Souls' Day. The building itself is viewed from the outside, so the season is not decisive, though a bright day makes it easier to pick out details such as the Romanesque windows or the niche in the presbytery.

Frequently asked questions

Who is the church in Štítary dedicated to? The church is dedicated to Saint George, from whom it takes its name.

Is the church a protected monument? Yes. The church, together with its surrounding wall, the retaining wall with steps, and the cemetery plots, is protected as a kulturní památka.

What architectural details are worth noticing? Above all, the semicircular, Romanesque-style windows of the nave and presbytery, and the niche in the southern wall of the presbytery — surviving traces of the church's medieval origins, visible despite the later neo-Baroque remodeling of the western façade.

Is there a cemetery next to the church? Yes, the church is surrounded by an active parish cemetery enclosed by a stone wall with a pillared gate and a side gate.