Church of Saint Michael the Archangel in Rýmařov

The Church of Saint Michael the Archangel is the oldest church in Rýmařov, standing on a hilltop above a steep slope in what was once the best-defended part of the town. Its present look is distinctly late Renaissance, but the building's story goes back to the town's founding and includes repeated fires, rebuildings, and a change of religious allegiance.

How old is the church?

The church was established in the second half of the 13th century, alongside the founding of Rýmařov itself, occupying a strategic hilltop position from which access to the settlement could be controlled. The original structure was made of wood; it was replaced by a stone building only in the mid-14th century, between 1351 and 1360. Its location on the town's most fortified stretch was no coincidence — the church doubled as part of the defensive system.

What did centuries of fire and changing faith leave behind?

The 16th century brought turbulence. For a period the church served Protestant worship, and the town, along with the church itself, was struck by fires in 1559 and 1561. An even more destructive fire in 1609 damaged the building so severely that it was essentially rebuilt, taking on the form that has largely survived to this day — a late Renaissance, three-aisled structure with a square west tower raised between 1609 and 1618. Recatholicization of Rýmařov, carried out between 1625 and 1628, returned the church permanently to Catholic use.

Why is Archangel Michael the patron?

The dedication has a specific date and a specific patron behind it. In 1681, the Bishop of Olomouc, Karl von Liechtenstein, declared Archangel Michael the protector of the town, and the church was dedicated to him from that point on. A few years later, in 1688, a simple Baroque Rosary Chapel was added on the left side of the nave, built for the Rosary Brotherhood active at the church.

What is worth seeing inside?

The presbytery is covered with cross vaulting, and the whole structure — despite its Renaissance core — bears traces of later Art Nouveau interventions. The Baroque interior is further enriched by a collection of Art Nouveau objects donated to the church by Count Harrach. This layering of styles across several eras — from the medieval origins, through the Renaissance rebuild, Baroque additions, and Art Nouveau touches — makes the interior a genuine record of the town's architectural history.

Where to find the church in Rýmařov?

The church stands on a hill in the historic center of the town, on a site that has served as an observation and defensive point since the Middle Ages. It's worth noting that Rýmařov also has a second church — the Church of the Visitation of Our Lady — a separate building unrelated to the history of the Church of Saint Michael described here.

Frequently asked questions

When was the Church of Saint Michael in Rýmařov built? It was founded in the second half of the 13th century together with the town itself, initially as a wooden structure, replaced by a stone building between 1351 and 1360.

Why is the church dedicated to Archangel Michael? The dedication was established in 1681 by the Bishop of Olomouc, Karl von Liechtenstein, who made Archangel Michael the protector of the entire town.

What architectural style does the church represent today? Its current form results from the rebuilding after the 1609 fire — a late Renaissance, three-aisled structure with a square tower from 1609–1618, later enriched with Baroque and Art Nouveau elements.

Is there only one church in Rýmařov? No — the town also has the Church of the Visitation of Our Lady, a separate building with its own history.