Church of Saint Lawrence

The Church of Saint Lawrence stands in a cemetery on the eastern edge of the village of Selmice, in the Pardubice District of the Pardubice Region in eastern Czechia. This modest but well-preserved Neo-Gothic building is dedicated to Saint Lawrence, a deacon and martyr, and forms one of the local sacred landmarks of the surrounding countryside.

How to get there?

Selmice is a small village located roughly 3.5 km west of Kladruby nad Labem, a place best known for its UNESCO-listed stud farm and the famous Kladruber horses. The church sits within the village cemetery, right at the eastern end of the built-up area, making it easy to spot even on a first visit to Selmice. The village lies in a region well connected by road to Pardubice and Chrudim, and arriving by car is by far the most convenient option.

What will you see?

The current church was completed in 1907 to a design by architect Jan Hrádek, in the Neo-Gothic style. It replaced an older wooden church that had stood on the same spot and was demolished in 1832 — meaning Selmice had a place of worship here long before the present brick-and-stone building went up. Modest in scale compared to grand urban cathedrals, the church nonetheless follows the Neo-Gothic vocabulary closely: pointed window openings, upward-reaching proportions, and a symmetrical, orderly facade composition.

The church stands inside the village cemetery, and the cemetery's fencing was designed to match the architectural style of the church itself — a detail not often found in small rural parishes. East of the church stands a mortuary building, built in the same architectural idiom as both the church and the fence. Together, the church, the period-matched cemetery fence, and the mortuary form a coherent, well-preserved sacred ensemble — a combination rarely found intact in such small villages in the region.

Is it a protected monument?

Yes. The whole ensemble — the church together with the cemetery and the mortuary — was added to the list of Czech cultural monuments on 4 February 1998. The legal protection therefore covers not just the church building itself but the entire historic cemetery complex, underlining the site's value as a coherent example of early-20th-century rural sacred architecture.

When to visit?

Selmice is a small village without extensive tourist infrastructure, so the best time to visit is simply a day with good weather — spring and summer make it pleasant to walk through the cemetery and take in the architectural details of the church and mortuary in good light. It is worth combining the visit with a trip to nearby Kladruby nad Labem, where the famous horse stud and other attractions make it possible to plan a full day exploring the area.

Frequently asked questions

When was the Church of Saint Lawrence in Selmice built? The current brick church was completed in 1907, designed by architect Jan Hrádek, replacing an older wooden church that had been demolished in 1832.

Who is the church dedicated to? It is dedicated to Saint Lawrence, a deacon and martyr and one of the best-known saints of the early Christian church.

Is the church a protected monument? Yes, the entire ensemble — the church, the period cemetery fence, and the mortuary — has been listed as a Czech cultural monument since 4 February 1998.

What else is worth seeing besides the church? Look out for the cemetery's stylistically matching fence and the mortuary building to the east of the church, and consider extending the trip to nearby Kladruby nad Labem with its famous horse stud.