Church of Saints Philip and James in Pavlice

The Church of Saints Philip and James stands right in the center of Pavlice, a small village in the South Moravian countryside near Znojmo. It's a modest single-nave Roman Catholic parish church that grew out of an earlier pilgrimage chapel, and today it's protected as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic together with the neighboring Chapel of the Holy Sepulchre.

How did the church come to be?

The story begins in the mid-17th century. In 1649, General Louis Raduit de Souches — famous for defending Brno against the Swedes during the Thirty Years' War — founded a chapel on this site along with a hospice for six poor residents. That early structure didn't survive in its original form: it was torn down in 1670, and a new chapel was built in its place, one large enough to hold regular services. Count Jan Josef Breuner consecrated the new building on August 12, 1677.

How has the building changed over the centuries?

The 19th century brought the next major chapter. In 1835, a rectory was built next to the church, while the adjoining hospice and poorhouse were demolished, clearing the way for a different layout around the site. In the same period, funding from Count Josef Ugarte allowed the church itself to be enlarged, giving it a bigger footprint and a more formal appearance. Growth continued into the turn of the century: a sacristy was added in 1899, and in 1900 the parish acquired new organs, adding both to the church's furnishings and its acoustic character.

What can you actually see there?

The church has kept the feel of a modest rural parish building — a single nave without the elaborate decoration you'd find in a large urban cathedral, but with a clearly layered history of additions written into its structure. Right beside it stands the Chapel of the Holy Sepulchre, and together the two buildings form one protected heritage ensemble under Czech law. That pairing of parish church and sepulchre chapel is what gives the site its distinctly devotional character, a legacy of its earlier role as a pilgrimage destination.

Who is this place for?

Pavlice is a small village, and the church isn't a headline attraction of the region — it's better suited to visitors interested in Moravian religious history, rural sacred architecture, or the traces left by 17th- and 19th-century noble patrons. It makes a worthwhile short stop while exploring the area around Znojmo or the Vysočina region, especially for anyone drawn to lesser-known, low-key religious monuments rather than the big cathedral circuit.

Frequently asked questions

Who founded the original chapel in Pavlice? General Louis Raduit de Souches founded the chapel, along with a hospice for six poor residents, in 1649.

When was the current church consecrated? The new chapel, built after the original 1670 structure was demolished, was consecrated on August 12, 1677 by Count Jan Josef Breuner.

Is the church legally protected? Yes — the Church of Saints Philip and James, together with the Chapel of the Holy Sepulchre, is listed as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic.

What changed at the church in the 19th and early 20th century? A rectory was added in 1835 and the church itself was enlarged with funding from Count Josef Ugarte; a sacristy followed in 1899, and new organs were installed in 1900.