Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary

The Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, commonly known as the Jesuit Church, stands on Jezuitská Street in the heart of Brno, in the Brno-město district. It ranks among the oldest surviving pieces of Baroque architecture in Moravia and is the only remaining building from what was once a sprawling Jesuit monastic complex.

What stood on this site before the Jesuits arrived?

Long before the Jesuits took over the plot on today's Jezuitská Street, it was home to a women's convent called Cella Sanctae Mariae, following the Rule of St. Augustine. It was founded in 1240 by a Brno merchant named Oldřich Niger, and became known as the Herburger Convent after its first superior, Herburga. The community endured for more than three centuries until 1578, when the remaining nuns relocated to Pustiměř and the vacated buildings were handed over to the Jesuit order.

When and how was the current church built?

The Jesuits settled in Brno in 1578 and almost immediately began constructing their own college on the site. Work on the new church started in the late 1590s, designed by the architect and sculptor Giorgio Gialdi. Remarkably, the building went up in a very short span - between 1598 and 1602 - and was consecrated on 22 September 1602. It was the first Baroque building erected in Brno, making it a benchmark for the sacred architecture that followed in the city.

How did the church's appearance change over the centuries?

The church underwent several significant Baroque-era renovations. The first, carried out between 1662 and 1668, followed a design by Jan Křtitel Erna. A second round of changes, completed in 1732-1733, was based on plans by the architect Mořic Grimm. These works gave the church a richer, more mature Baroque decor while preserving the original Mannerist layout of the structure.

What role did the Jesuit college play?

Around the church, the Jesuits kept expanding their complex until the 1660s, eventually creating the largest monastic compound in Brno at the time. It housed a grammar school and a seminary for poor students, and most importantly, the novitiate of the Bohemian Jesuit province. Among those educated here were Bohuslav Balbín, the order's historian, and Josef Dobrovský, regarded as the founding father of Slavic studies. The college's activity came to an end in 1773, when Emperor Joseph II dissolved the Jesuit order.

Why has only the church survived from the whole complex?

The fate of the monastery buildings was sealed by the redevelopment of Brno's historic center in 1904. During this campaign, all the former Jesuit college buildings were demolished - only the church itself was spared. Since then, the building has stood somewhat on its own, surrounded by newer urban development, yet still occupying the same historic plot on Jezuitská Street.

Who takes care of the church today?

Since the 1990s, the Jesuit order has once again been responsible for the pastoral care of the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. The building is listed as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic, confirming its historical and architectural significance for the entire South Moravian region.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is the church located? On Jezuitská Street in the Brno-město district, right in the center of Brno, at coordinates 49.196808 N, 16.610439 E.

Why is the church also called the "Jesuit Church"? Because it was built by, and for more than 170 years run by, the Jesuit order, which maintained its college and the novitiate of the Bohemian province here.

Who was the architect of the church? The church was designed by Giorgio Gialdi, an architect and sculptor, with construction completed in 1602.

What happened to the former Jesuit college? It was demolished in 1904 during the redevelopment of Brno's historic center - only the church itself has survived to this day.

Is the church still used for worship? Yes, since the 1990s it has again been cared for by the Jesuit order and remains an active place of worship.