Church of Saints Peter and Paul

The Church of Saints Peter and Paul is a deanery church standing on a small hill east of the town center of Podbořany, in the Louny district of the Czech Republic. It is protected as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic and is one of three churches found in Podbořany — distinct from the nearby Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary and the Church of the Divine Saviour.

What is the history behind the church?

A Gothic church already stood on this site in the 15th century. That original building burned down in 1599 along with a large part of the town during a major fire. The current Baroque church was built on the same spot in 1781 and is the structure that still stands today. The parish itself dates back to 1580, and it has held the status of a deanery since 1892, reflecting its long-standing importance within the local church structure. Podbořany itself was first mentioned in written records as early as 1369, making it one of the older settlements in the region.

What does the church look like architecturally?

The Church of Saints Peter and Paul is a single-nave building, ending in a three-sided presbytery with a sacristy attached on the north side. A slender, prism-shaped tower rises on the western façade, and the church's main entrance leads through its base. This layout — one nave, a polygonal chancel, and a tower on the west front — is characteristic of late Baroque parish churches built in small Czech towns during this period.

What is hidden inside the tower?

The tower houses two bells decorated with German biblical inscriptions. Their surfaces also carry decorative elements, including the coats of arms of the town's former owners and the emblem of Podbořany itself. Beyond their liturgical role, the bells serve as a record of local history and heraldry.

What makes the church organ special?

The church's most notable feature is its organ, considered one of the unique organ monuments within the diocese. It was built by the brothers Tobias and Christian Dressel, who came from Annaberg-Buchholz in Saxony, a town with a long tradition of organ building. Over the centuries the instrument underwent several rounds of maintenance and repair, documented in 1867, around 1887, and again at the end of the 20th century, which has kept it in playable condition to this day.

What else stands near the church?

Right next to the building, near the presbytery, stands a statue of Saint John of Nepomuk, while a stone cross is located to the north of the church. Together with the church itself, these elements form a single protected monument complex.

Frequently asked questions

When was the current Church of Saints Peter and Paul built? The present Baroque building dates from 1781, after the earlier 15th-century Gothic church burned down in 1599 along with the town.

Is the church a protected monument? Yes, it is listed as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic.

What is the most notable feature inside? The historic organ built by the Dressel brothers of Annaberg-Buchholz, regarded as one of the unique organ instruments in the diocese.

What structures stand next to the church? A statue of Saint John of Nepomuk near the presbytery and a stone cross north of the building.

How long has there been a parish here? The parish has existed since 1580 and has held deanery status since 1892.