Church of Saint John the Baptist

The Church of Saint John the Baptist near Kočov is today an atmospheric ruin of a former baroque pilgrimage church, standing south of the village of Kočov in the Tachov district, in the Plzeň Region of western Czechia. Although only walls and fragments of vaulting survive, the site still draws visitors interested in the region's religious past and its unexpectedly dramatic modern history.

How old is this sacred site?

Local tradition traces a place of worship on this spot back as far as the 11th century, when a modest early sanctuary may have stood here. Some sources suggest that by the 13th century a church dedicated to St. John the Baptist already existed, reportedly built with the involvement of German miners who were settling the area at the time. The first written record of the sanctuary, however, dates only from 1572, describing it as a shrine located at the confluence of two streams — a feature of the landscape that is still recognizable today.

The baroque pilgrimage church

The church's present baroque form was built between 1728 and 1732, financed by Count Václav of Sinzendorf, then owner of the Planá estate. The building was solemnly consecrated on 24 June 1732 by Siebert, abbot of the Kladruby monastery. It quickly became a popular destination for religious processions and pilgrims from surrounding villages across the wider Tachov area.

Why is it a ruin today?

The church served its religious purpose for barely half a century. In 1784, as part of the Josephine reforms that dissolved numerous churches and monasteries across the Habsburg monarchy, it was closed by imperial decree. The building then passed to the Nostitz family, who attempted to convert it into a small porcelain factory. The venture soon failed, and the abandoned structure was left to decay.

A film shoot and further damage

An unexpected chapter in the ruin's story came in 2000, when it served as a filming location for the Czech fairy-tale comedy "Z pekla štěstí 2." Set alterations meant to give the site a more "infernal" appearance destroyed the last surviving fragments of the original baroque wall paintings. Shortly after filming wrapped, a large section of the vault collapsed, accelerating the building's deterioration.

Protection and what remains today

Despite the ongoing decay, the historical and architectural value of the former church has been formally recognized: the ruins have been protected as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic since 1992. Visitors today can see the imposing, partly preserved perimeter walls and the outline of the church's original volume, which still convey a sense of scale even without a roof or interior furnishings.

Getting there

The ruins lie in a quiet rural setting roughly 7.5 km east of Tachov, close to the village of Kočov. For travelers exploring western Czechia beyond the region's better-known sights, it makes for an evocative stop connected to local religious history and sacred architecture.

Frequently asked questions

What was the Church of Saint John the Baptist near Kočov? It was a baroque pilgrimage church built between 1728 and 1732 on the site of an earlier, likely medieval sanctuary, serving as a destination for religious processions from nearby villages.

Why did the church become a ruin? It was closed by imperial decree in 1784 as part of the Josephine church reforms, and a later attempt by the Nostitz family to turn the building into a porcelain factory failed, leaving the site abandoned.

What happened in 2000? The ruins were used as a set for the film "Z pekla štěstí 2," during which the last remnants of the baroque wall paintings were destroyed, and a large part of the vault collapsed soon after.

Is the site protected as a monument? Yes, the church ruins have been listed as a protected cultural monument of the Czech Republic since 1992.