Church of Saint Mary Magdalene (Sobotka)

The Church of Saint Mary Magdalene is the deanery parish church of Sobotka, a small town in the Jičín district, standing on a hill above the town square and visible across the surrounding hills of the Bohemian Paradise (Český ráj). The current building replaced an older wooden parish church with a separate bell tower, first documented in the 14th century, and has served as the town's main place of worship for more than four hundred years.

How do you get there?

The church sits right in the center of Sobotka, next to the town square, making it an easy landmark for anyone exploring the town on foot. Sobotka lies on the route connecting Mladá Boleslav and Jičín, in the heart of the Bohemian Paradise, so reaching it by car or bus from either town is straightforward. For visitors staying in nearby villages, including small Staňkova Lhota, the church makes a natural destination for a short trip into town.

What will you see?

The present building was constructed between 1590 and 1596 in the late Gothic style, funded by Oldřich Felix z Lobkovic, the lord who then owned the local estate. The church was consecrated on 24 August 1596 by the Archbishop of Prague, Zbyněk Berka z Dubé — a date that marks the symbolic starting point of the current building's history.

Inside, the furnishings are late Baroque, produced in the workshop of the Jelínek sculptors from Kosmonos. The main altar holds a painting of the church's patron saint, attributed to Jan Petr Molitor and dated to around 1752. The pulpit is another highlight, decorated with carvings of the four evangelists, a figure of Christ Victorious, and a relief depicting the Last Judgment, also the work of J. Jelínek from the same period.

Beneath the church floor lies the burial crypt of the Netolický family, a noble family with strong ties to the region. Among those interred there is Václav Kazimír Netolický z Eisenberka, a minister at the court of Maria Theresa and the author of an 18th-century land reform, buried in 1760. The church is protected as a cultural monument and ranks among the more significant sacred buildings in the Jičín district.

When should you visit?

The church is best seen as part of a longer walk through Sobotka, combined with the town square and the nearby hills of the Bohemian Paradise; morning or early afternoon light works well for photographing the church on its hilltop setting. Since it remains an active parish church rather than a purely touristic monument, it is worth checking local opening hours and mass times before visiting.

Frequently asked questions

Who funded the current church building? The construction was financed by Oldřich Felix z Lobkovic, the owner of the Sobotka estate at the time, with work carried out between 1590 and 1596.

What is the most valuable part of the interior? The late Baroque furnishings from the Jelínek workshop in Kosmonos, including the altar painting attributed to Jan Petr Molitor and the pulpit carved with the evangelists and a Last Judgment relief.

Who is buried in the church crypt? The crypt holds members of the Netolický family, including Václav Kazimír Netolický z Eisenberka, a minister under Maria Theresa and author of an 18th-century land reform, who was buried there in 1760.

Did an earlier church stand on this site? Yes — the site previously held a wooden parish church with a separate bell tower, documented as early as the 14th century, before the current stone building was completed in the 1590s.