Evangelical church

The Evangelical Church in Hodslavice is a Classicist house of worship belonging to the Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren, and one of the oldest and architecturally most notable Protestant congregations in Moravia. It stands in the village of Hodslavice in the Nový Jičín district, close to the Silesian border, and has served as the center of local Evangelical life for more than two centuries.

How did the church come to be?

The congregation's story begins in 1782, when Emperor Joseph II's Patent of Toleration allowed local Protestants — who until then had to practice their faith in secret — to officially form a Lutheran parish. More than 900 people joined the new congregation, over half the population of Hodslavice and the surrounding villages, making it one of the first Augsburg (Lutheran) parishes established in Moravia after the edict.

Because toleration laws placed strict limits on the appearance and location of new Protestant churches, services were initially held in barns. Construction of a first, wooden "tolerance church" began just a year later, in 1783. This modest timber building served the community for several decades before a permanent, masonry church was built.

What will you see there?

The current masonry church was constructed between 1813 and 1819. It is a single-nave Classicist building with a polygonal chancel, a barrel-vaulted nave, and lunettes in the chancel area. The distinctive three-story tower, topped with an onion dome and an open lantern, was only added later, in 1851–1852 — at the time, it made the Hodslavice church the first Evangelical church in Moravia to have a tower at all, a detail that carried real symbolic weight given the restrictions non-Catholic churches had long faced.

In 2020 the interior underwent a thorough modern revitalization designed by the architecture studio Objektor. The project's pairing of the historic, early 19th-century structure with a minimalist contemporary interior was widely praised, earning the Czech Architecture Award (Česká cena za architektura) that same year. It stands as an unusual example of a church where centuries-old fabric and modern design reinforce each other rather than compete.

The building remains an active parish church of the Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren congregation in Hodslavice, part of the Moravian-Silesian seniorate, hosting regular services and parish events.

How to get there and when to visit?

Hodslavice sits in the Nový Jičín district, within easy reach of the larger towns of the Moravian-Silesian Region. The village is best reached by car or by local public transport connections from Nový Jičín. The church stands in the center of the village and is easy to spot thanks to its tall, unmistakable tower.

Keep in mind this is a working parish church rather than a museum, so visits to the interior are best planned outside service hours, or arranged in advance with the congregation. Hodslavice also makes a good base for exploring other historic sites in the area, including the village's Catholic church nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

When was the Evangelical church in Hodslavice built? The current masonry building dates from 1813–1819, but the congregation itself was founded in 1782, when a first wooden tolerance church was erected.

Why is the tower so distinctive? The three-story tower with its onion dome, added in 1851–1852, was the first tower ever built on an Evangelical church in Moravia — earlier toleration-era laws had not permitted such prominent features on Protestant churches.

What stands out about the interior? Following a 2020 renovation designed by the Objektor studio, the interior combines the historic Classicist architecture with a modern, minimalist design. The project won the Czech Architecture Award in 2020.

Can visitors go inside the church? It is an active parish church, so visiting is best planned outside service hours, ideally after contacting the congregation in advance.