Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Písek

The Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross stands in the southwestern corner of Velké náměstí, the Great Square of Písek, right in the heart of the town's historic core above the Otava river. This single-nave, cross-shaped former Dominican monastery church has been listed as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic since 1963, and its sgraffito-covered facade is one of the most recognisable sights on the square.

How did a Dominican monastery end up here?

When Písek was fortified with town walls in the 13th century, a Dominican monastery was built on a rocky spur above the river, with part of the complex incorporated directly into the fortifications. Its founding is attributed to King Přemysl Otakar II. The community's peace did not last: on 20 August 1419, during the turbulent Hussite period, the monastery was plundered.

What changed during the Counter-Reformation rebuild?

The church's present form dates to the Counter-Reformation. Between 1629 and 1645, the architect Martin Huerta replaced the earlier Gothic church and a Renaissance-era municipal salt storehouse with a wide, single-nave, early Baroque hall. A tower was added in 1641, still capped today with a low pyramidal spire carrying two bells.

What happened to the building after the monastery closed?

The complex went through several changes of use. During the War of the Austrian Succession, in 1741–1742, the occupying French army set up a field hospital in the monastery buildings. The monastery itself was dissolved in 1780 under the Josephine reforms of Emperor Joseph II, and the vacated buildings were converted for use as a courthouse and prison — a fully secular role, far removed from their original purpose.

What can visitors see inside and on the facade?

Inside, the church retains its cross-shaped floor plan. Its main altar, dating from the early 18th century, is unusually positioned in the western part of the nave rather than the east, where most churches place their high altar. Facing the square, the facade is decorated with striking sgraffito ornamentation, one of the visual landmarks of Písek's main square.

Beneath the church floor lie two burial crypts. The older one, established in the first half of the 17th century, was the burial place of the Švamberk family, a powerful Bohemian noble house. The younger crypt, built in 1729, served as the resting place for Dominican friars.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is the Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross? In the southwestern corner of Velké náměstí, Písek's main square, in the historic centre of the town in South Bohemia.

Is this the original Gothic church? No. The current building results from a 1629–1645 rebuild, when an early Baroque single-nave hall replaced an earlier Gothic church and a Renaissance municipal salt storehouse on the same site.

Who founded the Dominican monastery in Písek? Its founding is linked to King Přemysl Otakar II in the 13th century, during the period when the town was being fortified.

What became of the monastery buildings after the monastery was dissolved? After Emperor Joseph II dissolved the monastery in 1780, the buildings were converted into a courthouse and a prison.

How many crypts are there under the church, and who was buried there? Two: an older one from the first half of the 17th century, used by the Švamberk noble family, and a younger one from 1729, used for burials of Dominican friars.

How is this different from the Holy Trinity Church in Písek? It is a separate, distinct building — the former Dominican monastery church on the Great Square, not the town's former cemetery church.