Church of Saint John the Baptist

The Church of Saint John the Baptist stands on a hill known as Kopec Svatého Jana in Třebeš, a district of Hradec Králové, and ranks among the oldest surviving religious buildings around the city.

Where does this site come from?

The story predates the current building by decades. A wooden chapel dedicated to Master Jan Hus is already recorded here in 1504, when its altar was consecrated by the Italian bishop Filip de Nova Vila. A few decades later, in the 1520s and 1530s, a Hradec burgher named Lukáš Forman (also known as Hostovský z Hostovic) funded a new church on the same spot. It was meant to commemorate Jan Hus, Jerome of Prague, and other Czech religious martyrs. Construction was completed in 1530, and from the start the building carried the plain, early-Baroque character typical of filial churches from that era.

What survived the wars and the centuries?

After the Battle of White Mountain in 1620, the church fell into disrepair — the whole region went through waves of re-Catholicization and property upheaval that took a toll on many wooden churches. The Jesuits, who took over the site, carried out the restoration and brought the building back into use. A further major repair followed in 1858–1859, when the structure and interior fittings were fixed up. Next to the church stands a historic wooden bell tower, dated by dendrochronological analysis of its timber to around 1602. It holds a bell cast in 1583, the oldest surviving piece of the whole complex. The bell was commissioned by Martin Cejp z Peclinovce, a long-serving mayor (primator) of Hradec Králové, and cast by the local bell-founder Eliáš Stodola. Today the church and its bell tower are both listed as cultural monuments of the Czech Republic.

What else is worth seeing on site?

The church is surrounded by a cemetery that locals in Hradec Králové refer to as their own "Slavín" — a local equivalent of Prague's pantheon for notable citizens. Buried here are figures significant to the city's history, as well as victims of the 1866 Battle of Königgrätz, fought nearby at Chlum. The hill itself carries the name Zámeček ("little castle") and has long served as a quiet memorial spot on the edge of the city, away from the busy center.

How to get there and when to visit?

Kopec Svatého Jana lies in the Třebeš district, on the eastern side of Hradec Králové, and is most easily reached on foot or by bike — the surrounding area feels like a calm residential neighborhood rather than a typical tourist route. Daytime visits work best, since natural light shows off the wooden architecture of both the church and the bell tower, and it gives time to walk through the adjoining cemetery at a relaxed pace. This is a spot for travelers looking for genuine local history without crowds — there is no built-up tourist infrastructure here, but the atmosphere is authentic and intimate.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is this church different from other Saint John the Baptist churches in the region? This particular building sits in Třebeš, on Kopec Svatého Jana hill, and its origin sets it apart — it was originally built to honor Hussite martyrs before later taking on its current dedication.

Can visitors go inside the church? As a filial church, it does not keep regular daily visiting hours — access is usually tied to services or occasional parish events.

Why is the surrounding cemetery called a "Slavín"? Because it holds the graves of people significant to the city as well as victims of the 1866 battle — much like Prague's Slavín, it functions as a local pantheon of civic memory.

How old is the bell tower next to the church? Dendrochronological analysis dates its construction to around 1602, and the bell hanging inside it dates from 1583 — the oldest surviving element of the whole complex.