Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (Drásov)

The Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross stands at the heart of Drásov, a town in the Brno-venkov district of the South Moravian Region in the Czech Republic. It is a Roman Catholic parish church, protected as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic, and its roots go back to the first written mention of the local parish, recorded around the year 1259.

How do you get to the church in Drásov?

Drásov lies in South Moravia, north of Brno, and is easy to reach by car or by local public transport running toward Tišnov. The church sits right in the town centre, so once you arrive the tower visible from a distance works as a natural landmark guiding you straight to it — a short walk from the parking area or the bus stop.

What will you see at the Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross?

A Romanesque core and a Gothic chancel

The oldest surviving part of the building is the perimeter walls of the nave, dating from the late Romanesque period. In the first half of the 14th century, builders added a Gothic chancel with a three-sided end, where wall paintings from that period have survived to this day. A sacristy from the same building phase adjoins the chancel on its north side.

A tower whose age is still debated

The tower standing in front of the west façade is one of the more intriguing open questions in the church's history. Its exact dating has never been settled: some accounts place its construction around the mid-14th century, while others push it as late as the end of the 15th century.

A Baroque remodelling of the interior

The most significant changes to the church's appearance came in the second half of the 17th century. The originally flat-ceilinged nave was vaulted, and the original ribbed vault in the chancel was replaced with a new cross vault. At the same time, a spiral staircase and a music gallery were added to the nave, and the whole interior received a Baroque makeover that still largely defines how the church looks and feels today.

When is the best time to visit?

The church works well as part of a walk through Drásov and the gently rolling South Moravian countryside around it — the area is worth visiting year-round, though spring and autumn tend to offer the most comfortable temperatures for exploring the town and its surroundings on foot. Since this is an active parish church, it's worth timing a visit around Mass hours, and the interior is best experienced during a service or a parish event, if one happens to be taking place.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is the church located in Drásov? The church stands in the centre of Drásov, in the Brno-venkov district of the South Moravian Region, north of Brno.

How old is the church? Its oldest elements — the perimeter walls of the nave — date from the late Romanesque period, and the Drásov parish itself is first mentioned around 1259. The Gothic chancel was added in the first half of the 14th century.

Is the church a protected monument? Yes, it is listed as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic.

What is worth seeing inside? Highlights include the surviving Gothic wall paintings in the chancel and the Baroque interior created during the 17th-century remodelling, including the cross vault and the music gallery.