Church of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary

Church of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary in Horní Cerekev is a three-aisled parish church with a late Gothic core, standing at the very centre of this small town in the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands, right on the shore of the local castle pond.

What is the history behind this church?

The first written mention of a church on this site dates back to 1384, making it one of the older places of worship in the area. The building was renovated at the end of the 15th century, and between 1547 and 1562 it underwent a major expansion that gave it the three-aisled layout it still has today. Further building work in 1631 and 1763 shaped the church into something close to its present appearance, layering later additions over the original Gothic structure. In 1821 a fire swept through the town and destroyed both of the church's towers along with their bells. Only one tower was rebuilt afterwards, leaving the church with the asymmetrical, single-tower profile it has kept ever since.

What does the architecture look like?

The church blends several building periods. Its oldest surviving part is the late Gothic chancel, closed in a polygonal shape, a remnant of the smaller original structure that predates the 16th-century rebuilding. A square tower rises against the building — the sole survivor of the 1821 fire — visible from many points around town and acting as its architectural landmark. A Renaissance portal leads into the sacristy, evidence of building work carried out before the church took on its later, more Baroque-influenced form. Despite centuries of alterations, the interior has kept the coherent three-nave layout established in the mid-16th century.

What is worth seeing inside?

Inside, the standout feature is a painting of the Last Supper, added to the triumphal arch of the main nave in 1911 by Mikuláš Antonín Číla. It is a relatively late addition, but a significant one, layered onto an interior whose architecture already carried centuries of history by the time it was painted. The church is listed as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic, reflecting the historical value of both the structure itself and its surviving furnishings.

Where exactly does the church stand?

The church sits right in the heart of Horní Cerekev, at the junction of Březinova and Havlíčkova streets and T. G. Masaryka Square, next to the town's castle and along the shore of the adjoining castle pond. This placement means the church, the castle and the pond form a compact historic cluster in the town centre that can easily be explored on a single walk.

What role does the church play today?

The Church of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary remains the parish church of the Roman Catholic parish in Horní Cerekev and continues to serve the local community of worshippers. Its status as a protected cultural monument also makes it a point of interest for travellers exploring the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands who are looking for lesser-known but historically rich sacred buildings with roots reaching back to the Middle Ages.

Frequently asked questions

When was the church in Horní Cerekev built? The first mention of the church dates from 1384, and it received its current three-aisled form during a rebuilding carried out between 1547 and 1562.

Why does the church have only one tower? It originally had two towers, but a fire in 1821 destroyed both along with their bells — only one tower was rebuilt afterwards.

What can visitors see inside the church? The best-known feature of the interior is a painting of the Last Supper by Mikuláš Antonín Číla from 1911, placed on the triumphal arch of the main nave.

Where exactly is the church located relative to the town centre? It stands at the junction of Březinova and Havlíčkova streets and T. G. Masaryka Square, next to the castle and on the shore of the castle pond.