Holy Trinity Church (Kameničky)

Holy Trinity Church in Kameničky is a Baroque parish church standing on a slight rise in the northwestern part of the village of Kameničky, in the Chrudim district of the Pardubice Region, on the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands. It sits right at the junction of the road running from Hlinsko to Svratka and the road connecting Kameničky with Chlumy, which makes it an easy landmark for anyone passing through the area.

How far back does the church's history go?

According to the parish chronicle, a wooden chapel with a stone presbytery already stood on this spot around 1250. The village of Kameničky itself first appears in written records in 1350, when its church is listed as a parish church in an inventory of the Litomyšl bishopric's property. A further mention comes from 1392, when the settlement turns up in a description of the Rychmburk estate. At some point afterward the village was damaged or abandoned, and it only resurfaces in the records from 1485 onward, this time under the name Rejchlova Kamenice.

When was the current Baroque building built?

The church seen today was built between 1764 and 1766 on the site of the older wooden structure, replacing it entirely. The construction was financed by Philip Kinský, a member of the Kinský family that held the surrounding estates at the time. Since then the building's Baroque form has remained essentially unchanged, and it continues to dominate the village's skyline.

What is known about the church bells?

The tower holds three bells, which were blessed and hung on 7 January 1973. The largest, named Holy Trinity, is 76 cm tall with a diameter of 93 cm. The middle bell is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and measures 60 cm in height with a 68 cm diameter. The smallest bell, dedicated to St. Joseph, is 48 cm tall with a 56 cm diameter. Together the three form a graduated set typical of rural parish churches in this part of Bohemia.

Why is Kameničky linked to Czech art and literature?

The village and its surroundings, with the church rising above them, drew the painter Antonín Slavíček, who stayed in Kameničky and produced more than 70 paintings inspired by the local landscape. The same countryside also inspired the writer Karel Václav Rais to write his novel "Západ" ("The West" / "Sunset"). Because of this, Kameničky is remembered not only for its church history but also as a place tied to Czech art and literature from the turn of the 20th century.

Is the church still in active use?

Yes. The building continues to function as the parish church for the local community and remains an active place of worship rather than only a heritage site open to visitors.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is the church located? In the northwestern part of the village of Kameničky, on a slight elevation at the crossroads of the Hlinsko–Svratka and Kameničky–Chlumy roads, in the Chrudim district, Pardubice Region.

Is the current building the first church on this site? No. A wooden chapel with a stone presbytery is recorded here as early as around 1250; the present masonry Baroque church was only built in 1764–1766.

Who paid for the current church building? Its construction was financed by Philip Kinský.

How many bells does the tower have, and when were they installed? Three bells, blessed and hung on 7 January 1973 — the largest dedicated to the Holy Trinity, the middle one to the Virgin Mary, and the smallest to St. Joseph.

What is Antonín Slavíček's connection to this place? The painter stayed in Kameničky and created more than 70 works inspired by the surrounding landscape, the same scenery that also inspired the writer K. V. Rais's novel "Západ."