Church of the Finding of the True Cross

The Church of the Finding of the True Cross is a Baroque church attached to the Capuchin monastery in Brno, standing on Kapucínské náměstí (Capuchin Square) in the Brno-střed district. It belongs to the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin and is protected as a Czech cultural monument, though for most visitors the main draw isn't the church itself but the crypt beneath its floor.

How to get there?

The church sits right in the historic centre of Brno, on Kapucínské náměstí, just steps from náměstí Svobody (Freedom Square), one of the city's main landmarks. Its central location makes it an easy walk from almost anywhere downtown, and the area is well served by Brno's dense tram and bus network.

Where did the church come from?

The Capuchins arrived in Brno in 1604 at the invitation of Bishop František of Dietrichstein of Olomouc, and laid the foundation stone for their first monastery on the city's eastern outskirts that same spring. That original church, part of the monastery complex, was deliberately demolished in the 1640s ahead of the Swedish siege of Brno, so that attacking forces would not be able to use it as shelter.

The present church was built in 1651, funded chiefly by the land marshal Pavel Lichtenstein-Castelcorn, along with Václav Kolsdorf and František Magnis. It was raised in a plain, austere Baroque style in keeping with Capuchin rules, which emphasize a return to the order's original Franciscan ideals of poverty — hence the absence of the lavish ornamentation typical of other Baroque churches of the period.

What's worth seeing inside?

The finest artistic feature of the interior is the main altar painting depicting the Finding of the True Cross, painted in 1655 by the Dutch painter and engraver Joachim Sandrart. The work gives the church its dedication and remains its most valuable furnishing, standing in deliberate contrast to the building's otherwise modest architecture.

Why do most visitors come for the crypt?

Beneath the church floor lies the Capuchin crypt, the best-known part of the whole monastery complex. It holds not only members of the religious community but also laypeople, including the builders Ondřej and Jan Křtitel Erna and Baron František Trenck, a colonel of the Pandurs and a former prisoner at nearby Špilberk Castle. The crypt's natural conditions, which over the centuries led to the mummification of some of the remains, have long drawn visitors curious about this unusual aspect of its history.

Frequently asked questions

Which religious order does the church belong to? It belongs to the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin and serves as a rectory church of the Diocese of Brno.

When was the current building constructed? The present church was built in 1651, after the earlier monastery church was demolished in the 1640s ahead of the Swedish siege of Brno.

What is the most valuable feature inside? The 1655 main altar painting of the Finding of the True Cross, by the Dutch artist Joachim Sandrart.

Who is buried in the crypt beneath the church? Besides Capuchin friars, the crypt holds laypeople such as the builders Ondřej and Jan Křtitel Erna and Baron František Trenck, a Pandur colonel and former prisoner of Špilberk Castle.

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