Church of the Holy Trinity in Rabí

The Church of the Holy Trinity in Rabí stands right in front of the gate to Rabí Castle, perched on the edge of a rocky slope above the small town in the Klatovy district. This modest late-Gothic building has been tied to the fortunes of the neighboring castle for centuries — a castle that today holds the record as the largest castle ruin in the Czech Republic by ground area.

How old is the church?

A church likely stood on this spot as early as the 14th century, originally serving the settlement below the castle walls; parts of the nave walls and the triumphal arch from that earlier building survive today. The structure took its present form under Půta Švihovský of Rýzmberk, the lord of Rabí Castle at the time, who had the building completed and saw it consecrated in 1498.

What does the church look like architecturally?

It's a single-nave, late-Gothic building with a five-sided presbytery, both covered by net vaulting. Later centuries added to the shape: a sacristy went up in the 17th century, and an entrance porch plus a small sanctus turret followed in the 18th. Inside, a Gothic fresco of the crucified Christ survives alongside late-Baroque heraldic paintings and fourteen coats of arms set into the vault. In 1907 an Art Nouveau fresco of the Holy Trinity surrounded by saints was added to the walls.

How is the church connected to Rabí Castle?

When Půta Švihovský rebuilt Rabí Castle at the end of the 15th century, the church standing right outside its gate began serving as the castle chapel. The two buildings sit close enough that anyone visiting Rabí Castle — now best known as the country's largest castle ruin — passes the church almost automatically before stepping through the gate.

What happened to the church's furnishings?

The church lost its status as a parish church in 1970 and was deconsecrated by the end of that decade. Its historic furnishings — a Baroque main altar with a painting of the Coronation of the Virgin Mary, a Gothic altarpiece of St. George known as the "Rabí Ark," an All Saints altar with a 1636 votive painting of the Chanovský family, plus a Baroque pulpit and organ — were removed and have been kept in storage ever since.

Can visitors go inside today?

The church itself isn't regularly open to the public, and no services are held there. Restoration work began after 1989 and has kept the building in solid condition. In summer, though, the church's cellar is opened as an exhibition space, giving visitors the easiest way to step inside while touring Rabí Castle.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is the church located?

Right in front of the entrance gate to Rabí Castle, on the eastern side of the castle grounds, on the edge of a rocky slope above the town.

Is it still an active parish church?

No. It lost parish status in 1970 and was deconsecrated by the late 1970s.

What can you see inside?

A Gothic fresco of the crucified Christ, a 1907 Art Nouveau fresco of the Holy Trinity, and fourteen coats of arms on the vault — though the original altars and furnishings are kept elsewhere.

Can you visit it together with the castle?

Yes — in summer the church's cellar opens as an exhibition space, making it easy to combine with a visit to Rabí Castle.