Church of Saint Ulrich in Novosedly

The Church of Saint Ulrich (Kostel svatého Oldřicha) is a Roman Catholic parish church in the village of Novosedly, in the Břeclav district of the South Moravian Region, Czech Republic. It is the dominant architectural landmark of the village, and regular services are still held here today.

What does the church look like?

The building is a single-nave, oriented structure with a late-Romanesque core dating back to the 13th century. Its rectangular nave is joined by a Gothic, polygonally-terminated presbytery, added during a later medieval expansion of the original church. On the axis of the nave's west façade stands a tower with a prismatic (rectangular) ground plan, visible above the rooftops of the village. A rectangular chapel dedicated to Saint Roch, closed off by an apse, is attached to the south wall of the nave.

How has the church changed over the centuries?

The building's history is one of successive alterations. In 1774, the original — presumably wooden — bell tower was replaced with a stone one, and the side chapel was vaulted during the same works. In 1891, two windows of the presbytery were bricked up, while the remaining windows were reworked in a Gothic-inspired style. A further intervention followed in 1909, when the original gallery was replaced with a new one and the chapel windows were modified. Since 1958, the church has been protected as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic.

Where exactly is the church located?

The church stands in the village of Novosedly, in South Moravia, within the Břeclav district. Its geographic coordinates are 48.837026, 16.492899. Thanks to its tower and overall massing, the church is visible from most points in the village and effectively defines its skyline.

Who is this church worth visiting for?

The church is of particular interest to visitors drawn to sacred architecture and the history of the South Moravian region. It illustrates how different stylistic layers — a Romanesque core, a Gothic presbytery, and Baroque-to-Classicist alterations from the 18th and 19th centuries — accumulate within a single building, forming a legible record of the village's history spanning several centuries. For travelers exploring the wine-growing areas around Znojmo and Břeclav, it makes a natural stop on the way through the surrounding villages.

Frequently asked questions

Which saint is the church in Novosedly dedicated to? The church is dedicated to Saint Ulrich (Czech: svatý Oldřich), hence the Czech name Kostel svatého Oldřicha.

What is the oldest part of the building? The late-Romanesque core of the nave dates from the 13th century, while the presbytery is Gothic in character.

Is the church a protected monument? Yes, it has been listed as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic since 1958.

Does the church have a chapel? Yes, a rectangular chapel dedicated to Saint Roch, closed by an apse, is attached to the south wall of the nave; it was altered in both the 18th and 20th centuries.

Is the church still in active use? Yes, it remains an active Roman Catholic parish church.