Church of Saint John of Nepomuk

The Church of St. John of Nepomuk in Štramberk stands right on the main square of this picturesque town in northern Moravia, at the foot of the hill crowned by the town's famous Trúba tower. It is the Roman Catholic parish church of Štramberk, part of the Nový Jičín deanery within the Diocese of Ostrava-Opava, and its Baroque silhouette has shaped the town's skyline for three centuries — usually the first substantial building visitors notice on their way to the square.

When was the church built, and who paid for it?

Construction began in 1721: the foundation stone was laid on 16 May of that year on the initiative of Karel Pfefferkorn, the regent then managing the Štramberk estate. Work continued until 1723, producing a Baroque church that fits neatly into the square's historic frontage. The tower that now makes the church so easy to spot from a distance is not original, though — it was only added between 1907 and 1908, nearly two centuries after the main building was finished.

What is inside the church?

The interior layers several distinct periods of history. The main altar dates from 1781, several decades after the walls themselves went up. Above it stands a Calvary sculptural group from 1660 — the oldest piece of furnishing in the church, brought here from the pilgrimage church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross on nearby Kotouč hill, which was demolished in 1786. Moving the sculpture into the parish church kept a physical trace of that lost pilgrimage site alive in the middle of Štramberk. In the early 20th century, the interior was further enriched with painted decoration by the Brno-based painter Jano Köhler, giving the church much of the look it still has today.

Is the church a protected monument?

The church, together with the entire square it stands on, was entered into the Czech Republic's Central Register of Cultural Monuments in 1970 as part of the Štramberk urban heritage reserve. In 1993 it additionally gained status as a standalone listed monument, recognizing its own historical and architectural value independent of the surrounding buildings.

How do visitors get there?

The church sits at the very heart of Štramberk, a town often nicknamed the "Moravian Bethlehem" for its picturesque timber houses and steep, narrow streets. It lies directly on the walking route connecting the main square with the Trúba tower and the Šipka Cave, so most visitors pass it naturally while exploring the town on foot. Its geographic coordinates are 49.5920889, 18.1181205.

Frequently asked questions

How old is the church in Štramberk? It was built between 1721 and 1723, making it over three hundred years old, although its distinctive tower was only added later, in 1907–1908.

What is the sculpture above the main altar? It is a Calvary group from 1660, moved here from the now-vanished pilgrimage church on Kotouč hill, which was demolished in 1786 — the oldest furnishing in the building.

Is the church a listed monument? Yes. It has been protected since 1970 as part of Štramberk's urban heritage reserve, and since 1993 also as an individually listed cultural monument.

Which parish and diocese does the church belong to? It is the parish church of Štramberk, within the Nový Jičín deanery of the Diocese of Ostrava-Opava.