Church of Saint James

Church of Saint James stands in Krásno nad Bečvou, a district of Valašské Meziříčí in the Zlín Region of eastern Czechia. This late Gothic building sits at coordinates 49.4778561, 17.9689867 and functions as a branch church of the Valašské Meziříčí parish — services are held here only a handful of times per liturgical year rather than daily, which keeps the site quiet and largely off the main tourist circuit compared to the churches in the city centre.

How old is the church?

The first written record naming the church dates only to 1558, but architectural historians place the construction of the current structure at the turn of the 14th and 15th centuries — considerably earlier than the surviving document would suggest. The settlement of Krásno itself is older still, first mentioned in 1299. An intriguing clue about an even earlier past emerged during archaeological work in the early 1970s: semicircular foundations were uncovered beneath the presbytery floor, hinting that an older building may have once stood on the same spot.

How has the building changed over the centuries?

In the late 1580s the church underwent alterations that added Renaissance-style features, though the core of the building remained Gothic. In July 1681 a lightning strike caused a fire that damaged the structure; funds for the repairs came from Bernard Ferdinand of Žerotín, who died in 1692. A sacristy was added in 1749. The most extensive intervention came between 1972 and 1978, when a thorough reconstruction gave the interior a marble floor, ceiling panels, and a metal spiral staircase leading up to the choir loft. The roof is covered with wooden shingles, and a stone cross crowns the gable of the west façade.

What does the architecture look like?

The church is an elongated building with a polygonal presbytery, notably lacking both a triumphal arch and side buttresses — an unusual combination for a church of this type. The entrance is framed by a portal closed with a broken arch, and two stone portals survive inside. A small bell tower rises from the roof, holding two bells cast in 1797 and 1946; the tower itself was renovated in 2015. During carpentry work on the roof in 2016, workers discovered a bricked-up Baroque window whose existence had previously gone unrecorded.

What role has the church played in the region's religious history?

In the second half of the 16th century the church passed into non-Catholic hands, a common pattern among Moravian churches of the period; it returned to Catholic use in 1628. A third chaplain was appointed to serve the church in 1871, and in the early 20th century there were unsuccessful attempts to establish it as an independent parish — it has remained a branch church ever since. A 1594 tombstone belonging to the Drzewnovski couple once stood inside the church before being moved to a lapidarium in another church.

Is the church a protected monument?

Yes — since 3 May 1958 the building has been listed as a cultural monument under registration number 33153/8-327. The church occasionally opens to visitors during local cultural events such as the Night of Churches, when it has hosted concerts, historical talks, and quiet contemplative gatherings.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is the Church of Saint James located? In Krásno nad Bečvou, a district of Valašské Meziříčí in the Zlín Region of eastern Czechia.

How old is the building? The current structure dates from the turn of the 14th and 15th centuries, though the church is first documented in writing in 1558.

Are regular services held here? No — as a branch church of the Valašské Meziříčí parish, services take place only a few times per liturgical year.

Is the church a listed monument? Yes, it has been protected as a cultural monument since 1958 under registration number 33153/8-327.