Church of the Ascension of the Lord in Josefov

The Church of the Ascension of the Lord stands over Masarykovo náměstí, the main square of the Josefov fortress district in Jaroměř, in the Hradec Králové region near the Czech border with Poland. Its tall tower is visible from a distance and has served as a landmark for travelers through this corner of eastern Bohemia for more than two centuries.

How do you get there?

Josefov sits in the north-eastern part of Jaroměř, which is easiest to reach by car or train, since the town has direct rail connections to Hradec Králové and Náchod. From the Jaroměř station it's roughly a fifteen-minute walk into Josefov, and the church itself stands right on the district's main square, so it's hard to miss. It makes a natural stop while exploring the Josefov fortress, including its well-known underground galleries.

What will you see?

The building was raised in the Empire style, a look rarely used for churches at the time, which makes Josefov's parish church something of an exception. The single-nave body tapers into a gentle apse on the west side, while the east end rises into a slender, prism-shaped tower 54 meters tall, giving the whole structure its distinctive, austere silhouette.

Above the façade's portal you can still read the inscription "F II MDCCCV," a tribute to Emperor Francis II, under whose reign the church was built. Inside, the sacristy holds a valuable painting, "The Last Supper," created by G. Heller in 1747. The canvas originally hung in the now-demolished Romanesque Church of St. Giles in Pleš and was moved here after that older building was torn down, making it one of the oldest furnishings in the church today.

The church also has an architectural twin: at almost the same time, and to a nearly identical design, the Church of the Resurrection was built in the Terezín fortress. Both projects were designed by Heinrich Hatzinger and Count Julius d'Andreis, which makes Josefov and Terezín a unique pair of twin garrison churches from the era of the Habsburg monarchy's fortress towns.

When should you visit?

Daylight hours show off the tower and façade proportions best. Josefov takes part in the nationwide "Noc kostelů" (Night of Churches) event, when the interior opens up alongside extra programming — it's worth checking the current date before a trip, since the event happens only once a year. Outside that event the church still functions as an active parish church, so it's a good idea to check opening times locally, especially if you want to see the interior outside of Mass hours.

Frequently asked questions

What architectural style is the church built in? Empire style, which was unusual for church architecture of that period — most churches from that era were built in more traditional styles.

When was the church built? Construction ran from 1805 to 1810, and the church was consecrated on September 8, 1811.

Does the church have a counterpart in another fortress? Yes — an almost identical Church of the Resurrection was built at the same time in the Terezín fortress, designed by the same architects, Heinrich Hatzinger and Count Julius d'Andreis.

What's worth seeing inside? Mainly the 1747 painting "The Last Supper" by G. Heller in the sacristy, which came from the demolished Church of St. Giles in Pleš, along with the interior architecture itself, notably the apse on the west side.