Church of Saint John the Baptist

The Church of Saint John the Baptist is a Gothic parish church that dominates the historic center of Chudenice in the Czech Republic, in the Pilsen region. For centuries it has served as the town's main landmark and is closely tied to the history of the Czernin family, whose oldest ancestral seat once stood right next to it.

When was the church in Chudenice built?

An inscription on the church wall gives 1200 as the founding year, attributing the church to Drslav, brother of Czernin and Břetislav of Chudenice. Historians treat this date with some caution, since the earliest surviving written record of Chudenice itself only dates from 1291. It is more likely that the church was built after the construction of the neighboring stronghold known as Starý zámek, the ancestral seat of the Czernin family. The first written mention of the church specifically comes from 1355.

What architectural style does the church represent?

The church's current form dates back to the second half of the 14th century and is Gothic in character. Over the following centuries the building underwent several rounds of alterations, with the most significant changes carried out in the Baroque style. A sacristy was added in the first half of the 16th century, while the tower that still marks the skyline today was completed in 1660. The most recent major restoration took place in 2014, which has helped the church remain in good condition despite its long history.

What can visitors see inside the church?

The interior is defined by a triumphal arch separating the chancel from the nave, and both the arch and the surrounding walls preserve Gothic wall paintings from the 15th century. These paintings give the interior a distinctly medieval atmosphere and offer a glimpse of how the church would have looked centuries ago. The centerpiece of the church, however, is a large winged altar from 1505 — a work typical of late Gothic sacred art in Bohemia, combining painting and sculpture.

How is the church connected to the Czernin family?

The parish church in Chudenice was founded by the Czernin family, one of the most influential noble families in Bohemia. Right next to the church stood their oldest ancestral seat, the aforementioned Starý zámek. This proximity between the church and the old stronghold highlights how important Chudenice once was in the family's history, before the Czernins moved their main residence elsewhere in the region.

Where exactly is the church located?

The Church of Saint John the Baptist stands in the very heart of Chudenice, a small town in the Pilsen Region of western Bohemia. Its central location makes it a natural reference point for visitors exploring the town — the tower, visible from a distance, leads straight to the main square and the oldest part of town.

Frequently asked questions

Is the church a protected historic monument? Yes. Its Gothic origins, later Baroque alterations, and the surviving early-16th-century wall paintings and altarpiece make it one of the region's more significant sacred monuments.

When was the tower built? The current tower was completed in 1660, after the main Baroque-era changes to the church.

What is the most valuable piece inside the church? The Gothic winged altar from 1505 is typically singled out, alongside the 15th-century Gothic wall paintings preserved near the triumphal arch.

What historical family is the church associated with? The Czernin family, who founded the church and whose oldest ancestral seat, Starý zámek, stood right beside it.