Holy Trinity Church

Church of the Holy Trinity (Czech: Kostel Nejsvětější Trojice) is a 16th-century building standing on the grounds of Písek's former municipal cemetery, on the left bank of the Otava River in the district known as the Prague Suburb. No longer used for worship, it now ranks among the town's more distinctive historic sites and hosts chamber concerts throughout the year.

Why was the church built here?

In 1549 the king granted the town a plot of land across the Otava for a new burial ground, since the older cemetery closer to the centre could no longer keep up with Písek's growing population. Construction of a cemetery chapel dedicated to the Holy Trinity followed between 1549 and 1576, blending the still-Gothic massing of the structure with Renaissance decorative details typical of the later 16th century. An inscription on the richly carved Renaissance portal on the nave's south side commemorates the founding of both the cemetery and the church.

What does the building look like?

The church has a simple single-nave layout closed by a three-sided presbytery with an adjoining sacristy. Its two entrances make for a telling contrast: an ornate Renaissance portal on the south façade, carrying the founding inscription, and a plain Gothic portal on the west side. Inside, a Renaissance pulpit survives as one of the few original furnishings still in place.

What happened to the cemetery around it?

The graveyard served Písek's residents into the mid-20th century. Once a new forest cemetery opened in the 1930s, burials here gradually declined, and the site was officially closed in 1949. It fell into disrepair over the following decades until the mid-1970s, when the grounds were redesigned as a memorial park — the old graves and pathways gave way to lawns and walking paths, while the church itself took on a new role as a venue for exhibitions and concerts.

How did the 2002 floods affect the church?

The catastrophic floods of August 2002, still remembered across Písek, submerged the church more than 2.5 metres below the swollen Otava, badly damaging its interior and furnishings. Repairs took more than a year and cost roughly 3.2 million Czech crowns: the façades were restored and the building was fitted with its own heating system, replacing a makeshift supply previously piped in from a nearby winter stadium. The church reopened to the public in 2004, equipped among other things with a concert grand piano.

What is the church used for today?

The Church of the Holy Trinity no longer holds religious services. It belongs to Písek's municipal cultural institutions and functions as a concert hall and exhibition space. Its intimate proportions and good acoustics make it a popular venue for classical and chamber music, as well as for civic and social occasions.

Frequently asked questions

Are religious services held here? No — the building has long served a secular role as a concert and exhibition venue.

How do you get there? The church stands on the left bank of the Otava, near Na Výstavišti and Svatotrojická streets, within walking distance of Písek's historic centre.

What is worth seeing inside? The Renaissance pulpit and the contrast between the two portals — one richly decorated Renaissance work, the other a plain Gothic doorway.

Is the church a protected monument? Yes, it is listed as a protected cultural monument of the South Bohemian region.