Church of Saints Simon and Jude in Chyjice

The Church of Saints Simon and Jude in Chyjice is a Roman Catholic Baroque church standing in the middle of the village cemetery in Chyjice, in the Jičín district of the Hradec Králové Region, Czech Republic. This modest building carries centuries of history and today stands as a protected heritage monument and a landmark of the small village.

What is the history of the church in Chyjice?

The parish church in Chyjice is first mentioned in written sources in 1369, when it stood as a Gothic building — although some references place this first mention in 1384. At that time, Chyjice was still an independent landed estate, not yet part of a larger neighboring domain. The original Gothic structure, however, did not survive unchanged to the present day.

The church owes its current Baroque appearance to a thorough reconstruction carried out between 1698 and 1700, led by the builder Philipp Spannbrucker. This rebuilding gave the church the form that, with later adjustments, is still recognizable today. Further, smaller modifications to the building followed in 1776 and again in 1826.

What happened to the church in the 20th and 21st centuries?

After the Second World War, the technical condition of the church began to steadily decline. The trend was only reversed around the turn of the millennium, when the first restoration works began. A key turning point in the building's recent history came in 2004, when ownership passed to the municipality of Chyjice, opening the way for gradual, systematic restoration.

The scale of this effort is reflected in the funding involved: between 1995 and 2014, a total of 3,600,000 Czech korunas was allocated to the monument's restoration through the Program for the Protection of Architectural Heritage. These funds allowed the building to be rescued step by step from further deterioration.

What does the church's architecture look like?

The church in Chyjice is a Baroque, single-nave, oriented building — meaning its main axis, and the chancel with it, is traditionally directed toward the east. The church stands in the middle of the cemetery, a common layout for rural parish churches in this part of the Czech Republic, underlining its role as both a place of burial and a place of worship.

Because of its historical and architectural value, the church is legally protected as an immovable cultural monument, having been listed in the register of protected monuments on May 3, 1958.

Where exactly is the church located?

The building stands in the village of Chyjice, in a prominent spot within the local cemetery grounds. Its geographic coordinates are 50.3905075, 15.296544166667.

Frequently asked questions

Which saints is the church in Chyjice dedicated to? The church is dedicated to Saints Simon and Jude, two of Christ's apostles.

How old is the church in Chyjice? The parish church in Chyjice was first recorded in 1369 (some sources say 1384), when a Gothic building stood on the site.

When did the church get its current Baroque appearance? Through a reconstruction carried out between 1698 and 1700 by builder Philipp Spannbrucker, with further modifications made in 1776 and 1826.

Is the church a protected heritage monument? Yes, it has been under monument protection since May 3, 1958.

Who owns the church today? Since 2004, the church has belonged to the municipality of Chyjice, which has been carrying out its gradual restoration.