Rectory in Loděnice

The rectory in Loděnice is a Baroque building standing right beside the Church of St. Margaret, in the village of Loděnice in the South Moravian Region, Brno-Country District, not far from Moravský Krumlov. Although it now functions as an ordinary parish house, its story starts somewhere quite different — as a summer residence for Premonstratensian canons.

Who built it, and why?

From roughly 1190 until 1784, the village of Loděnice belonged to the Premonstratensian monastery at Louka near Znojmo. It was for the canons of that monastery that a Baroque manor was raised here, set just south of the Church of St. Margaret and intended as a countryside retreat. A date, "1739," carved above the entrance to the garden passage points to the likely completion year, though scholars are not entirely certain about it. The building's design has been linked to architect Christian Alexander Oedtl, but since he died in 1731, it remains unclear whether the inscription marks the finishing of the whole residence or just the garden wall.

How did a manor house become a rectory?

The turning point came in 1784, when the Louka monastery was dissolved as part of the Josephine church reforms. The former canons' residence lost its original purpose and was converted into the parish building. It has served continuously as the local rectory ever since — well over two centuries now — housing and serving as the office of the village priest.

What does the building look like today?

The rectory is a single-storey, three-wing structure with a reconstructed hip roof. Its east and west wings flank a central entrance portal, and the south-facing façade, which once looked out over the manor's garden, is decorated with two cornice bands — one just below the roofline, another at mid-height — along with windows set in moulded surrounds topped by decorative lintels. An inner courtyard links the building to the church grounds through a passage, and a gate together with a stretch of wall still stand between the rectory and the church, visible in photographs documenting the site.

Can visitors go inside?

No. The building is privately owned and not open to the public — it remains an active rectory rather than a tourist attraction. It can, however, be viewed freely from the outside while walking around the Church of St. Margaret, next to which it stands.

Is the rectory a protected monument?

Yes. The rectory in Loděnice is listed as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic. It appears in the monument catalogue of the National Heritage Institute (NPÚ) under catalogue number 1000138632 and register number 27392/7-6528, and it carries conscription number 35.

What else is worth seeing nearby?

Standing directly next to the rectory is the Church of St. Margaret, whose oldest sections date back to the early Gothic period. Together, the church and the former monastic residence form a small but coherent architectural group at the heart of the village, a lasting trace of the Louka monastery's centuries-long presence in the area.

Frequently asked questions

When was the rectory in Loděnice built? Most likely in 1739, though the exact construction date has not been fully confirmed.

Who built the building? It was built as a summer residence for the Premonstratensian canons of the Louka monastery near Znojmo, who held the village of Loděnice from around 1190.

Since when has it served as a rectory? Since 1784, when the Louka monastery was dissolved during the Josephine church reforms.

Can you go inside the rectory? No, the building is privately owned and closed to visitors — it can only be viewed from the outside.

Is the rectory a listed monument? Yes, it is registered as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic, listed in the NPÚ catalogue under number 1000138632.