Saint Matthias church

Saint Matthias Church stands on a hilltop in the Hruštice district on the eastern edge of Turnov, right beside road II/283 and above the local hospital. This modest Roman Catholic subsidiary church belongs to the Diocese of Litoměřice and the Turnov deanery, and it is the only physical trace left of the medieval settlement of Hruštice, which existed before the town of Turnov itself was founded.

Where does the name Hruštice come from and how old is the church?

The settlement of Hruštice was tied to the seat of the earliest members of the Markvartic family — its first documented representative, Jaroslav, took his name from the place itself. The Turnov region first appears in written sources in 1238, in a charter issued by King Wenceslaus I and sealed by Jaroslav of Hruštice. In 1262 the same Jaroslav served as castellan in Mladá Boleslav. The church's powerful western tower, disproportionately massive for such a modest building, points to an original defensive function tied to the family's seat. The current structure likely dates to the 15th century and has Gothic origins.

How has the building changed over the centuries?

In the first half of the 18th century the roofs were rebuilt in a Baroque style. A far more substantial intervention followed a fire in 1894, when the vaults and ground floor also received Baroque treatment. The building has been protected as a cultural monument since 1964.

What does the church look like inside and out?

The church is a single-nave rectangular building with a square presbytery. A square sacristy with cross vaulting was added on the north side. The whole structure is dominated by a massive, square-plan, single-storey western tower. Inside, the nave is covered by a coffered ceiling, while the presbytery has a barrel vault with lunettes.

What is worth seeing inside?

Most of the interior furnishings date from after the 1894 reconstruction and are Neo-Renaissance in style. The main altarpiece, depicting Saint Matthias, was painted in 1894 by Josef Mathauser. The fire spared some older pieces, however: Rococo statues of Saints Peter and Paul from the mid-18th century and polychrome statues of Saints Ludmila and Agnes from the early 18th century — today the most valuable historic elements of the interior.

Why is it worth a visit while exploring Turnov?

Saint Matthias Church is a stop for visitors who want to see more than just the town centre around náměstí Českého ráje. Standing on a rise amid its own cemetery, enclosed by a wall and a mortuary, it lets visitors trace a history older than Turnov itself — from a fortified seat of the Markvartic family, through a Gothic church, to the Baroque and Neo-Renaissance transformations that followed the fire at the end of the 19th century.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the church dedicated to? Saint Matthias the Apostle, chosen to replace Judas after his death.

Is this the main parish church in Turnov? No — it is a subsidiary (filial) church within the Turnov deanery of the Diocese of Litoměřice.

How do you get to the church? It is located in the Hruštice district on the eastern side of Turnov, beside road II/283, above the local hospital.

Since when has the building been a protected monument? It has held cultural monument status since 1964.

What survived the 1894 fire? The Rococo statues of Saints Peter and Paul and the polychrome statues of Saints Ludmila and Agnes; the rest of the furnishings date from after the reconstruction.