Church of Saint Leopold

The Church of Saint Leopold is a Roman Catholic church in Brno's Štýřice district, part of a former Brothers of Mercy monastery complex on Vídeňská street. It is easy to miss from the outside among the surrounding buildings south of the city centre, yet it counts among the notable sacred landmarks of Brno-střed and stands as a late example of mature Baroque architecture in Moravia.

How do you get to the Church of Saint Leopold?

The church sits on Vídeňská street in the Štýřice district, within the municipal area of Brno-střed, only a short ride from the city centre. The easiest way in is by tram or bus heading toward Staré Brno, getting off near Vídeňská and walking a few minutes to the former monastery grounds. The church adjoins the buildings of the old monastic hospital directly, so it's easy to spot thanks to the compact, cloister-like layout of the whole complex.

Where did this church come from?

The story begins in the mid-18th century. The Brothers of Mercy settled in Brno in 1747, thanks to Count Leopold of Dietrichstein, a major benefactor of the order, who purchased land here specifically to build a monastery, a hospital, and a church. The church itself followed decades later, going up between 1768 and 1777, making it one of the youngest Baroque churches built in Brno — a period when sacred architecture was already shifting from Baroque toward a more restrained Classicism, which is why the building blends late-Baroque features with a calmer, more ordered composition.

What will you see inside?

The interior is decorated with paintings and frescoes by Josef Stern and sculptures by Ondřej Schweigel, both names well known to admirers of Moravian Baroque art. The decorative programme centres on themes of mercy and care for the sick, unsurprising given that the church has been tied to the Brothers of Mercy's hospital work from the very start. Beyond the church itself, the wider monastery complex includes the former hospital, a pharmacy decorated with frescoes, a concert hall, and a kindergarten — meaning the site is still very much in active use rather than functioning purely as a museum piece. The entire complex is listed as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic.

When is the best time to visit?

Between 2018 and 2024 the church interior underwent a thorough restoration, and the building is now considered one of the best-preserved sacred monuments in the South Moravian Region. That makes now a particularly good time to visit — the paintings and stucco work have regained much of their original brightness, and the overall condition is noticeably better than it was just a few years ago. It's worth checking locally posted opening hours and the concert hall's event calendar in advance, since the monastery complex occasionally hosts early-music concerts.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Church of Saint Leopold part of a larger monastery complex? Yes. The church is one part of the former Brothers of Mercy complex on Vídeňská street, which also includes the old hospital, a fresco-decorated pharmacy, a concert hall, and a kindergarten.

Who created the artistic decoration inside? The paintings and frescoes are the work of Josef Stern, while the sculptures were made by Ondřej Schweigel.

When was the church built? Between 1768 and 1777, making it one of the youngest Baroque churches in Brno.

Why did the Brothers of Mercy settle in this particular spot? The order arrived in Brno in 1747 with the support of Count Leopold of Dietrichstein, who financed the purchase of the land used to build the monastery, hospital, and church.