Evangelical church

The Evangelical Church stands in Janské Lázně, a well-known spa town in the Krkonoše (Giant) Mountains of eastern Czech Republic. This small Neo-Gothic building, topped by a tower rising from a polygonal base, was built in the 1870s for the local Protestant community and sits along the route leading from the town center toward the cable car station on Černá hora.

When was the church built, and by whom?

The land for the church was purchased in 1871 by the German Evangelical Augsburg congregation, which served the town's substantial German-speaking population of spa visitors and residents at the time. Construction was completed and the church was formally opened in 1879. The result was a Neo-Gothic structure with a slender polygonal tower, a form typical of Protestant churches built in the wider Sudetenland region during that period.

Who was the church originally built for?

From the start, the building served the German-speaking Evangelical Augsburg (Lutheran) congregation, closely tied to the town's growing spa economy. Janské Lázně had operated as a spa since the 17th century, and by the 19th century it was drawing an increasing number of visitors from German-speaking lands, which explains the construction of a dedicated Protestant church alongside the town's existing Catholic church.

What changed after 1945?

Following the Second World War and the expulsion of the German-speaking population from the Czech-Polish borderlands, ownership of the church passed to the Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren (Českobratrská církev evangelická), today the largest Protestant denomination in the Czech Republic, rooted in the country's Hussite and Brethren traditions. Since then, the building has functioned as a preaching station under the Czech Brethren parish based in nearby Trutnov, holding services on an occasional basis to serve its small local congregation.

Has the building been renovated?

Yes. The church underwent reconstruction in 1999, which helped preserve its Neo-Gothic form and distinctive tower in good structural condition. It is not used as a daily, fully staffed place of worship, but remains active for the Evangelical community's services and occasional gatherings.

Why is it worth noticing while visiting Janské Lázně?

The Evangelical Church reflects the multicultural and multi-denominational history of the Krkonoše spa towns, where Catholic and Protestant communities of different national backgrounds once coexisted. Its Neo-Gothic architecture stands apart from the spa's typical resort buildings and offers a lesser-known stop along the walk toward the Černá hora cable car station.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is the Evangelical Church located? In Janské Lázně, in the Krkonoše (Giant) Mountains of northeastern Czech Republic, along the route toward the Černá hora cable car station.

When was the church built? The land was purchased in 1871, and construction was completed with the church's formal opening in 1879.

What architectural style is the building? Neo-Gothic, distinguished by a tower built on a polygonal base.

Who owns the church today? Since 1945 it has belonged to the Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren, functioning as a preaching station of the Trutnov parish.

Is the church still in use? Yes, though irregularly — services are held occasionally, and the building was renovated in 1999.