Church of Saint Nicholas

Church of Saint Nicholas in Kryštofovy Hamry no longer exists as a physical building — it vanished from the map of the Ore Mountains (Krušné hory) more than sixty years ago. The coordinates 50.4596 N, 13.1368 E mark a spot that today belongs to the Kryštofovy Hamry municipality in the Chomutov district, but once lay within the town of Přísečnice.

Why isn't the church there anymore?

The Church of Saint Nicholas stood in Přísečnice itself, surrounded by its own cemetery. It was a Gothic building, likely founded by the lords of Šumburk, who held the town from 1351 onward. For more than two centuries it served as the town's parish church — until 1583, when a newly built Church of the Virgin Mary took over that role. From then on, Saint Nicholas functioned as a cemetery church, still central to local life.

The building survived several later changes: a Baroque-style renovation in 1775, and repairs after a town fire in 1811. It was ultimately torn down in 1963 — officially because it obstructed traffic, though the timing overlapped with early preparations for a dam on the Přísečnice river.

Who was buried inside?

The church served as a burial place for local nobility. In 1510, the remains of Bohuslav Hasištejnský of Lobkovice and several of his ancestors were interred there. When archaeologists surveyed the site in 1973 — a decade after the demolition — they were unable to positively identify those remains.

What happened to the rest of Přísečnice?

The church's demolition in 1963 turned out to be a preview of something much larger. Construction of the Přísečnice dam began in 1969, and the town itself was formally abolished in 1974: its buildings were torn down, the valley was flooded, and the reservoir was filled by 1976. The neighboring settlements of Dolina, Kotlina, and Rusová shared the same fate, falling within the dam's protection zone. What remains of the old town today is mostly photographs and memory; the site of the former church and cemetery now lies within the modern municipality of Kryštofovy Hamry.

Is it worth the trip?

There's no wall or tower left to photograph here — this is a place defined by history rather than sightseeing. But for anyone interested in the story of the Ore Mountains and the villages submerged beneath the Přísečnice reservoir, it's a meaningful stop, one that explains why heritage records still list a church that physically no longer stands.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you visit the Church of Saint Nicholas today? No — the building was demolished in 1963, before the Přísečnice valley was even flooded, so there is no structure left on site to visit.

Why was the church demolished? Officially because it obstructed road traffic, though the demolition coincided with early planning for the Přísečnice dam.

Who was Bohuslav Hasištejnský of Lobkovice? A member of local nobility buried in the church in 1510 along with several ancestors; an archaeological survey in 1973 could not positively identify his remains.

What exists at the site of old Přísečnice now? The valley was flooded to create the Přísečnice reservoir, completed in 1976; the town itself was formally dissolved in 1974.