Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

The Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross stands on raised ground at the center of the village of Slepotice, in the Pardubice Region of eastern Czechia. It is a small parish church whose roots reach back to the Middle Ages, even though its present brick form dates only from the 19th century.

How old is the church in Slepotice?

The earliest, wooden church on this site is recorded in parish documents as far back as 1350, making it one of the older sacred sites in the surrounding area. In 1540 the original chapel was rebuilt by the knights of Slepotice, the local landowning family who held patronage over the church. A far more thorough rebuilding followed in 1818, when the wooden structure was replaced by a brick, single-nave church with a five-sided presbytery and a tower topped with an onion-shaped dome, a lantern and a cross. The project was initiated by a local schoolteacher named Tobiáš, whose family name would later be linked to further furnishing of the church as well.

What can visitors see inside?

The main altar is decorated with a painting of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, created by an artist named Šlechta in 1818 — the same year the brick church was completed. A second, side altar is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and shows the crowned Mother of God with the Christ Child. It was endowed in 1853 through a bequest from Josef Tobiáš, likely a relative of the schoolteacher who had financed the church's rebuilding decades earlier.

The interior also includes an organ dating from 1857 and a large crucifix depicting the suffering Christ flanked by figures of the Virgin Mary and St. John. This crucifix has a notable provenance: it was acquired from a former Minorite monastery in Pardubice, after the monastery there was dissolved.

Has the church been restored?

Yes. A comprehensive restoration took place between 1997 and 2000, covering conservation work on both the building itself and its interior furnishings. As a result, the 19th-century structure and its period fittings remain well preserved today.

Where exactly is the church located?

The church occupies raised ground right at the heart of Slepotice village, meaning its tower with the distinctive onion dome is visible from much of the settlement. Its geographic coordinates are 49.990672, 15.961599.

Frequently asked questions

How far back does the church's history go? The oldest, wooden church on the site is documented from 1350, though the current brick building dates from 1818.

Who funded the 19th-century rebuilding? The rebuilding into a brick church was initiated by a local schoolteacher named Tobiáš, and one of the side altars was endowed in 1853 by Josef Tobiáš.

What is the most notable item inside the church? A large crucifix that originally came from a former Minorite monastery in Pardubice, along with the 1818 main altar painting of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross by Šlechta.

Has the church undergone recent renovation? Yes, a full restoration was carried out between 1997 and 2000.