Nanebevzetí Panny Marie

The Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary in Pozořice is a Baroque parish church in the town of Pozořice, in the Brno-venkov district of the South Moravian Region. Its twin forty-metre towers rise above the rolling Moravian countryside, and the building has anchored the town's religious life for three centuries — including an annual pilgrimage held on the Sunday following August 15th.

How did the current church come to be built?

An earlier wooden Gothic church on the same site, dedicated to the same feast, burned down in 1704. That same year, Prince Jan Adam of Liechtenstein ordered the foundations laid for a replacement and brought in Swiss master builder Antonio Salla to design it. Construction dragged on for two decades and was eventually finished at the initiative of Anton Florian of Liechtenstein. The new church received its blessing on August 15, 1724, though formal consecration didn't follow until June 30, 1929 — more than two centuries later. In 1805, during the Battle of Austerlitz, Napoleon's troops passed through the area and looted the church's interior. Later repairs came in 1914, a major restoration between 1959 and 1968, and further work in 1990. The building is now listed as a protected cultural monument of the Czech Republic under reference number 31320/7-894.

What does the Baroque architecture look like?

The church measures 38 metres long, 20 metres wide and 21 metres high, with the two square towers flanking its façade reaching 40 metres. It is a single-nave building with a transept and a polygonal chancel, its smooth façade divided by horizontal pilaster strips and topped with a triangular gable between the towers. The main entrance sits on the central axis of the façade, with smaller side entrances at the base of each tower. A sacristy adjoins the chancel on its left side, and two corner structures — originally charnel houses — survive at the building's corners, now used for storage.

What can visitors see inside?

Inside stand a main altar and three side altars. The 1785 altarpiece depicting the Assumption of Mary was painted by the Brno-based artist Ignác Bayer. The marble baptismal font and pulpit, both from the 18th century, are the work of local carpenter Havel Solus, while the Stations of the Cross draw on the well-known compositions of Josef Führich. Above the altar, a painted window depicts the Holy Trinity. Four bells hang in the towers, and during Holy Week services a wooden rattle is still used in place of bell-ringing. Beneath the church lies a substantial crypt where local parish priests were once buried — the last such burial, of Father Josef Xaverius Leffler, took place in 1774. The church itself stands on the grounds of a former cemetery that remained in use until 1870.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is the church located? In the centre of Pozořice, in the Brno-venkov district of the South Moravian Region, roughly 20 km northeast of Brno.

How old is the church? Construction began in 1704 and the building was blessed in 1724, making it more than 300 years old.

Can the church be visited? It is open on an occasional basis, outside of Sunday Masses (7:30 and 9:00) and weekday evening services.

What is the most notable feature inside? The 1785 Assumption altarpiece by Ignác Bayer on the main altar, along with the 18th-century pulpit and baptismal font by Havel Solus.

Is there a special yearly event connected to the church? Yes — the parish holds its annual pilgrimage on the Sunday following August 15, in honor of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary.