Church of Saint Martin in Tursko

The Church of Saint Martin in Tursko is a Baroque church standing at the center of the small village of Tursko, about 20 km north of Prague and 6 km south of Kralupy nad Vltavou. The single-nave building, topped by a tower rising above its western façade, is visible from a distance and forms the visual landmark of the village.

What is the history of the church?

The history of a sacred site in Tursko goes back to the Middle Ages — an earlier Gothic church was built here in 1257. That building did not survive the turmoil of the Thirty Years' War and was destroyed in 1637. The site of the ruined church remained without a proper place of worship for decades before a new building was undertaken.

The current Baroque church was built between 1700 and 1706. At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, in 1894, it underwent a renovation that gave the church much of its present-day appearance. Until December 31, 2005, the building served as a parish church, after which its status changed to that of a convent church.

What does the church's architecture look like?

The Church of Saint Martin follows a Baroque style with a single-nave layout. Above the entrance, in the western façade, rises a slender rectangular tower that functions as a bell tower and serves as a landmark visible from the surrounding fields and roads.

The interior is divided into a chancel and a main nave, each covered differently. The chancel is covered by a barrel vault with lunettes — a solution typical of Baroque architecture that allows the interior to be lit through windows set into the lunettes. The main nave, by contrast, has a flat wooden ceiling, a simpler and more economical construction than a vault.

What is worth seeing inside?

Much of the church's furnishings date to the 18th century and match the building's architectural style. The Baroque pulpit is dated to 1710, meaning it was created shortly after the church itself was completed. The baptismal font, meanwhile, is Rococo in style and dates from the second half of the 18th century, making it somewhat younger than the rest of the original furnishings.

What can be found around the church?

The church is surrounded by a cemetery, which is in turn enclosed by a protective wall. This arrangement — church, cemetery, and wall forming a single complex — was typical of rural church precincts in Bohemia during the Baroque era.

A niche in the church's exterior wall holds a Baroque statue of Ecce Homo, dating from around 1700. The sculpture is also known by other names — the Resting Christ or the Resting Pilgrim — reflecting an iconography that depicts Christ pausing during the Way of the Cross.

Frequently asked questions

How old is the church in Tursko? The current Baroque building dates from 1700–1706, but the site's religious history goes back to 1257, when an earlier Gothic church stood here before being destroyed during the Thirty Years' War in 1637.

Is the church still used as a parish church? No. Until December 31, 2005, it served as a parish church; it now has the status of a convent church.

What is the statue next to the church? It is a Baroque Ecce Homo statue from around 1700, also known as the Resting Christ or the Resting Pilgrim, placed in a niche in the church's exterior wall.

How far is the church in Tursko from Prague? Tursko lies about 20 km north of central Prague and about 6 km south of Kralupy nad Vltavou.