Church of the Beheading of Saint John the Baptist

The Church of the Beheading of Saint John the Baptist stands on the south side of Masaryk Square in Hranice na Moravě, a town in the Přerov district of the Olomouc Region. It serves today as the parish church of Hranice and is listed as a protected cultural monument.

When was the church built, and by whom?

The building visitors see today dates from 1754–1763, designed by the architect František Antonín Grimm, and was consecrated in 1764. It was commissioned by the Dietrichstein family, who owned the local estate at the time — their coat of arms still decorates the church facade as a mark of that patronage. The church is a single-nave structure on a rectangular plan, oriented north-south rather than the more traditional east-west axis used for the sanctuary in many older Christian churches.

Why isn't this the original parish church of Hranice?

Before this Baroque building existed, the town's parish church stood elsewhere, on what is now School Square (Školní náměstí). That earlier church was originally dedicated simply to Saint John the Baptist; only from the 1730s onward did the dedication shift to commemorate his beheading specifically. The older building met a violent end: during the Swedish siege and capture of Hranice in October 1645, it was looted and burned. That destruction is part of why, over a century later, the town chose to build an entirely new church in a more prominent spot facing the main square.

What is inside the church?

Most of the interior furnishings date from the 1760s and 1770s, forming a cohesive body of Baroque decorative work rather than a patchwork of later additions. Sculptors František Ondřej Hirnle, Jan Adam Nesmann and Václav Böhm, stucco worker and carver František Gallaš, and painters Josef Stern, Josef František Pilz and Johann Nepomuk Steiner all contributed to the decoration. Notable pieces include the baptismal font and the organ, built in 1767 by Jan Výmola. Stained-glass windows depicting Blessed Jan Sarkander and Saint Agnes were added later, in 1887. Perhaps the most unusual detail is a pair of bells cast in 1499 and 1506 — older than the current building itself, and among the oldest surviving bells anywhere in Moravia.

Where exactly is it, and what does it look like from outside?

The church occupies a central position in Hranice na Moravě, forming the southern edge of Masaryk Square, the town's main square. Its rectangular footprint runs on a north-south axis rather than the conventional east-west church orientation, which makes it stand out slightly to visitors familiar with typical church layouts. Because of its location, it functions as a natural landmark for anyone exploring the historic town center.

Frequently asked questions

What is the church called in Czech? Kostel Stětí svatého Jana Křtitele.

Who designed the church? The architect František Antonín Grimm, commissioned by the Dietrichstein family.

Is this the same church that has always stood here? No. The present building, completed in 1763, replaced an earlier parish church on today's School Square, which was destroyed during the Swedish siege of Hranice in 1645.

What is the oldest surviving element? The two bells from 1499 and 1506, which predate the current building and rank among the oldest bells in Moravia.

Is the church a protected monument? Yes, it is registered as a cultural monument, valued as a Baroque landmark of the Olomouc Region.