Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary

The Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Neslovice is a late-Baroque Roman Catholic church built between 1782 and 1784, serving today as the parish church of a small municipality in the Brno-venkov district of the South Moravian Region. The building is listed as an immovable cultural monument of the Czech Republic.

When was the church in Neslovice built?

The present building dates from 1782–1784 and follows the late-Baroque style typical of the period. During the second half of the 19th century the church was extended: a vestibule was added in front of the west façade, and a four-sided Chapel of the Holy Sepulchre was built onto the north side of the presbytery. These two additions gave the building the outline visible today, even though its core remains the original Baroque structure.

What does the church's architecture look like?

The church is a single-nave building closed on the east side by a semicircular presbytery. A tower rises above the west façade, where the main entrance is located. A sacristy adjoins the south side of the nave, while the Chapel of the Holy Sepulchre occupies the north side of the presbytery. This layout — a simple nave with additions flanking the presbytery — is typical of rural Moravian parish churches built or expanded around the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries.

What is the history of the Neslovice parish?

The village of Neslovice is first mentioned in written records in 1342. Its history has long been tied to nearby Dolní Kounice, and for a long period the village belonged to the estate of the local Rosa coeli monastery. A 1653 report by the priest of Ivančice notes that Neslovice did not belong to any parish at the time: it was subordinated to the Dolní Kounice parish until 1760, and then to the Ivančice parish until 1787. Only in 1787 was a localia — a local ecclesiastical unit — established in Neslovice, covering the village itself along with Hlína and Kratochvilka, marking the first step toward independent pastoral care in the area.

What are the "rozmarýnové hody"?

The church is dedicated to the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, and its patronal feast falls on 8 September, the liturgical feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Locally, this celebration is known as "rozmarýnové hody" — the rosemary feast — and remains part of the annual cycle of parish celebrations tied to the church.

Can visitors go inside?

The church remains an active Roman Catholic place of worship, hosting regular services for the Neslovice parish. Outside of Mass times, access to the interior may be limited, so it is worth checking local parish announcements before planning a visit.

Frequently asked questions

When was the church in Neslovice built? The current building was constructed between 1782 and 1784 in the late-Baroque style.

What was added to the church in the 19th century? In the second half of the 19th century, a vestibule was added in front of the west façade, along with a four-sided Chapel of the Holy Sepulchre on the north side of the presbytery.

Since when has Neslovice had its own parish? An independent localia was established in 1787; before that, the village belonged first to the Dolní Kounice parish (until 1760) and then to the Ivančice parish (until 1787).

What feast is the church's patronal celebration tied to? The patronal feast falls on 8 September, the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, locally called "rozmarýnové hody."

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