Church of Saint Giles

The Church of Saint Giles is a Baroque parish church standing at the center of Bystřice pod Hostýnem, a small town at the foot of Hostýn hill in the Zlín Region of Moravia, Czech Republic. The building occupies a site with a documented religious history stretching back to the Middle Ages, making it one of the oldest landmarks in the town.

How old is this church?

A church already stood on this spot in the 14th century — in fact, the year 1368 marks the oldest written record of Bystřice itself, and it is tied to this very site. A churchyard cemetery served the parish from early on. Like much of the town, the church repeatedly suffered from fire: in 1594 a blaze badly damaged both the church and the rectory. Even after a new cemetery was established outside the town in 1545, the old churchyard and the crypt beneath the church remained in use — in 1584 the remains of Přemek Prusinovský of Víckov, a local nobleman, were placed there.

The building visitors see today dates to 1744, when František Antonín Rottal, then owner of the local estate, commissioned a new Baroque church on the same ground. The construction was carried out by master builder Tomáš Sturm the Elder of Holešov. Fires struck again in 1789 and 1833, each time damaging the church and rectory, and each time the parish rebuilt. It was the reconstruction following the 1833 fire that gave the church its current tower — and with it, the silhouette the town has known ever since.

What can you see inside?

The interior holds furnishings assembled gradually over the 18th century. A marble baptismal font from 1758 stands near the chancel, while an older stone font can be seen by the entrance. In the second half of the 18th century, five side altars were added one by one: Saint Thecla (1751), Saint Florian (1768), Saint Barbara (1778), and — both completed in 1781 — Saint John of Nepomuk and Saint Joseph. Taken together, these altars trace how Baroque devotion and the veneration of particular saints shaped the church's decoration across several decades.

The bell tower received its first clock in 1791, a fixture that has marked time over the town square ever since.

How do you get there, and when should you visit?

The church sits in the center of Bystřice pod Hostýnem, within easy walking distance for anyone exploring the town on foot. It makes a natural stop for travelers heading further on toward nearby Hostýn, one of Moravia's most important pilgrimage sites. Because of its historical value, the building is protected as a cultural monument in the Czech Republic — worth keeping in mind when planning a visit, ideally during daylight hours, when the church's exterior details and overall form are easiest to appreciate.

Frequently asked questions

How old is the Church of Saint Giles in Bystřice pod Hostýnem? A place of worship has stood here since at least the 14th century, but the current Baroque building dates from 1744, built after earlier churches on the site were repeatedly destroyed by fire.

Who commissioned the present church? It was built under the patronage of František Antonín Rottal, owner of the local estate, with construction led by master builder Tomáš Sturm the Elder of Holešov.

Why does the tower look different from the rest of the building? The current tower dates from the reconstruction that followed the fire of 1833, which is also when the church took on the appearance it has today.

What will I see inside the church? Five Baroque side altars from the second half of the 18th century, a marble baptismal font from 1758, and an older stone font near the entrance.