Church of Saints Peter and Paul

The Church of Saints Peter and Paul in Lysice is the Roman Catholic parish church standing at the heart of Lysice, a small market town in the Blansko District of the South Moravian Region, roughly 12 km northwest of Blansko and 26 km north of Brno. The building is protected as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic and its roots reach back to the Middle Ages.

How old is the church in Lysice?

The parish church is first documented in 1397, and by the following year patronage over it was already split among four brothers of the Rychvald family. Traces of the transition from Romanesque to Gothic forms in the oldest sections of the walls confirm that the building predates that written record. Ownership of the Lysice estate, and with it influence over the church, changed hands several times in the following centuries: between 1527 and 1634 the estate belonged to the Černín of Kácov and Březnický of Náchod families, through whom the church passed into the hands of the Unity of the Brethren. Recatholicization began in 1625, when Jiří Březnický converted to Catholicism and brought Jesuits to Lysice. Parish registers have been kept continuously since 1657.

How did the building evolve over the centuries?

The church still carries a Gothic core and a late Renaissance tower, but its present shape is largely the result of Baroque-era rebuilding. In 1697 the interior was paved and the roof covered with shingles; in 1707 new stairs to the tower were built and a tower clock installed (it was removed again in 1719); the roof was repaired in 1716–1717. The most significant change came in 1782–1784 (some sources give the broader span 1772–1786), when the church was extended with a rotunda and a chancel, gaining two sacristies with oratories for the local nobility and a choir loft in the western part of the building. A further reconstruction followed in 1846. Today the church measures about 35 metres in length and 10 metres in width at pew level.

What is worth seeing inside and outside?

The nave wall carries the coat of arms of the Piati family, placed there by Emanuel and Jan Piati. Inside, the raised presbytery and the nobility oratories built into the sacristies stand out as reminders of the era when the estate's owners held patronage rights over the parish. The 20th century brought repeated renovation work: the interior was repainted and its statues regilded in 1930, the facade was repaired and the floor replaced in 1934, the facade and interior decoration were renewed again in 1961–1962, and an electric bell-ringing mechanism was installed in 1968.

When can you visit?

The church stands on Zákostelní street in Lysice, and admission is free. As an active parish church, it is best to check with the Roman Catholic parish of Lysice before visiting outside of Mass times.

Frequently asked questions

Who is the Lysice church dedicated to? It is dedicated to the apostles Saints Peter and Paul.

What architectural style is the church? It combines a Gothic core, a late Renaissance tower, and Baroque-era extensions from the 18th century.

Is there an entrance fee? No, admission to the church is free.

How far is the church from Brno? Lysice lies about 26 km north of Brno and about 12 km northwest of Blansko.