St. Procopius Church

St. Procopius Church is a Gothic church standing right in the historic centre of Žďár nad Sázavou, next to Náměstí Republiky square and close to the town's old fortress (tvrz) and the Sázava River. It is the oldest surviving religious building in town and a natural starting point for a walk through the old centre.

How old is the church?

A church is believed to have stood on this spot as early as around 1270, though the first written record of it dates only from 1391. Over the centuries the building went through several rebuilding phases: a late-Gothic remodelling in the 16th century, followed by Baroque alterations in the 18th century that added a star-shaped vault to the sacristy and reshaped the windows. The following century brought a return to Gothic forms together with new stained-glass windows installed between 1870 and 1910. During restoration work carried out around 2000, original medieval wall paintings were uncovered beneath later plaster, confirming just how many historical layers the building holds.

What is inside worth seeing?

The interior consists of two asymmetric naves, and the whole structure measures 33.5 metres in length and 17.6 metres in width, with the main nave reaching a height of 10.7 metres. The chancel is closed off by five sides of an octagon, a solution typical of Gothic church architecture in this part of the region. The church has two sacristies and four altars, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, St. Anne, St. Thomas and the church's patron, St. Procopius. Among the most valuable furnishings is a Gothic sculpture of the Madonna and Child dating from the second half of the 15th century, alongside a Baroque painting of St. Procopius from 1778 by the painter Kautsch of Kutná Hora. In the 1970s the interior was further enriched with a new set of Stations of the Cross cast in tin, replicating reliefs by the sculptor Karel Stádník.

What else is nearby?

Right next to the church stands the Baroque Chapel of St. Barbara, attributed to the celebrated architect Jan Blažej Santini-Aichel — the same architect behind the nearby UNESCO-listed pilgrimage church of St. John of Nepomuk on Zelená hora. In the 17th century a walled cemetery with an ossuary was established beside St. Procopius Church, evidence that for centuries it served as the town's main burial ground. Its position next to the square, the old fortress and the river makes the church a natural stop on any walk through the historic centre of Žďár nad Sázavou.

How to get there and when to visit?

The church is within easy walking distance of the town centre and the train station, so the simplest approach is on foot after parking near Náměstí Republiky. It is open to visitors daily from 8:00 to 18:00, and the entrance is barrier-free, making it accessible to visitors with limited mobility. For those planning a visit remotely, a virtual tour of the interior is also available online.

Frequently asked questions

Is St. Procopius Church the same building as the famous church on Zelená hora? No. St. Procopius Church stands in the town centre next to the main square, while the UNESCO-listed pilgrimage church of St. John of Nepomuk — Santini's masterpiece — sits on Zelená hora hill outside the centre. The two are connected only through the architect of the nearby Chapel of St. Barbara, which stands beside St. Procopius Church.

How old is the church? The building is believed to date back to around 1270, with its first written mention recorded in 1391, making it the oldest surviving church in Žďár nad Sázavou.

Is entry free? The church is open to visitors every day from 8:00 to 18:00, and the building is fully accessible without architectural barriers.

What is the most valuable artwork inside? A Gothic sculpture of the Madonna and Child from the second half of the 15th century, together with a 1778 Baroque painting of the church's patron saint by the painter Kautsch.