Church of Saint Lawrence

The Church of St. Lawrence (Kostel svatého Vavřince) is a Neo-Gothic deanery church standing on Mírové náměstí (Peace Square) in the center of Vrchlabí, at the foot of the Krkonoše Mountains. The present building was constructed between 1886 and 1889 to a design by Prague architect Stephan Tragl, on the site of an earlier church whose history goes back to the mid-14th century.

What is the history of the church?

The first stone church dedicated to St. Lawrence, deacon and martyr, was built in the mid-14th century in the Gothic style. During the Renaissance it was rebuilt and partially reconstructed. By the late 19th century the old building was considered too small and structurally worn, so it was demolished in 1886. The foundation stone of the new church was ceremonially laid on 15 August of that year, and construction took three years. The new church was consecrated on 29 June 1889.

Who designed the current building?

The new church was designed by Prague architect Stephan Tragl, who chose the Neo-Gothic style, echoing medieval forms even though the structure itself is entirely a 19th-century creation.

What does the church look like?

The building has a three-nave layout with a transept and a hexagonal presbytery. Its facade features the main entrance and a slender 60-metre tower crowned with corner turrets, visible from many parts of town. The church measures 30 metres in length and 18 metres in width, and the main nave rises to a height of 15.5 metres, covered with cross vaulting.

What is inside the church?

The interior is decorated with stained-glass windows made by the Geylings firm of Vienna. The organ dates from 1889 and came from the workshop of the Rieger brothers; it has a richly decorated case and underwent a thorough restoration between 2006 and 2009, leaving it in excellent technical condition today. The oldest object inside the church is a copper baptismal font from 1566, which survived from the earlier, demolished church.

Where exactly is the church located?

The church stands on Mírové náměstí in the center of Vrchlabí, a town in the Trutnov district at the foot of the Krkonoše Mountains. As the deanery church, it serves as the main Roman Catholic church of the local parish and remains one of the defining landmarks of the town's skyline.

Frequently asked questions

How old is the Church of St. Lawrence in Vrchlabí? The current building was constructed between 1886 and 1889, but a church dedicated to St. Lawrence has stood on this site since the mid-14th century.

In what style was the church built? It was built in the Neo-Gothic style, designed by Prague architect Stephan Tragl.

What is the oldest artifact inside the church? A copper baptismal font from 1566, preserved from the earlier Gothic church that was demolished in 1886.

How tall is the church tower? The tower is about 60 metres tall and can be seen from many parts of Vrchlabí.