Church of Saint Vitus

About

Church of Saint Vitus (Czech: kostel svatého Víta) is a Roman Catholic church in Český Krumlov, Czech Republic. It is dedicated to Saint Vitus. It is an important late-Gothic monument built in 1407–1438, with later modifications. In 1995, it was declared a national cultural monument.

The history and development of the church are inherently connected with the two noble families – the Rosenbergs and the Schwarzenbergs, who made Český Krumlov their settlement town and the church of St. Vitus thus represented the main sanctuary of the Rosenberg dominion and the Duchy of Krumlov. The church was rebuilt several times during the rule of the Eggenbergs.

The first church built at its present location was founded in 1309. The first presbytery was built in 1317 by Peter I of Rosenberg and in 1340 it was rebuilt under the leadership of Master Linhart. However, the main and monumental reconstruction was initiated during the reign of Rosenberg Henry III. Indeed, the original church was not able to accommodate enough believers of the ever-growing settlement town, and it was, therefore, necessary to build a new church. The current building dates back to 1407 to 1438, while the foundations of the original church were used and, for example, the nave masonry dates back to the second half of the 14th century. We know from the preserved contract between the pastor Hostislav and Master Jan that it was explicitly stated that eight columns should be used to support sexpartite vaulting according to the pattern of the Church of Saint Giles in Milevsko and the net vault inspired the Cathedral of St. Vitus in Prague by Peter Parler. Although Master Jan Staněk, a member of the Prague Stonemason Family, started the construction, he did not continue to participate in it for unknown reasons. The new church was consecrated by the Passau bishop Leonard von Laiming in 1439.

Before 1500, an organ loft was built and another major intervention was the construction of a massive Rosenberg mausoleum and a new altar with the Rožmberk rider (coat of arms). However, both elements were gradually removed at the urging of the local Jesuits. Further major expansion occurred between 1725 and 1726 when Český Krumlov became the seat of the Schwarzenbergs. They built a new chapel of St. John of Nepomuk, the guardian of the House and the Dominium. The chapel also had a so-called Heart Tomb, where the hearts of the Krumlov dukes were deposited

The last important stage was a drastic neo-Gothic reconstruction in the 19th century when Baroque elements were removed and, unfortunately, many elements of the Pre-Baroque. Thus, in 1893–1894, the original Baroque onion dome tower was removed and replaced by the current Neo-Gothic tower. The church was then restored in 1899–1900. A thorough interior repair and equipment repair was carried out in 1936.

Czech and German-speaking residents lived side by side since the foundation of Český Krumlov. Since the sermon was preached in Czech, German believers began to preach the Rosenbergs sermons in German. For this purpose, the Chapel of St. Jerome, which existed at the church in Kostelní Street since 1389, served until the German sermon in 1602 was moved to the Church of St. Jošt [ cs ]. The chapel was desecrated during the period of the secularization of the monarchy and sold in 1787.

Until 1585 the church was partially surrounded by a cemetery. However, due to a lack of space after a severe plague, it was moved to today's City Park to St. Martin's Chapel.

The building is a three naval hall with a long presbytery with a pentagonal ending, a tower on the axis of the western facade, a rectangular sacristy, resurrection chapels and St. John of Nepomuk, and an entrance hall with an entrance portal on the north side. In the Milevian net vault (named after a special type of vault in the Church of St. Giles in Milevsko) of the presbytery, the ribs are supported by the cylindrical profile supports. The ribs are terminated at the lower edge of the windows by pyramidal brackets. In the ending behind the altar is a simple saddle portal.

The entrance to the northern sacristy is also through the saddle portal. The extensions end at the bottom edge of the windows with pyramidal brackets. On the north wall (to the left of the altar ) is a valuable sanctuary from the year 1500 - made of stone, richly decorated. Behind the altar in the apse is a simple saddle portal. The northern sacristy is vaulted with a variation of the Milevian net vault from 1425. The ribs extend from figural consoles. The space on the first floor above the sacristy has sexpartite vaulting with pyramidal brackets.

The southern sacristy is from 1637 and it is vaulted with three cross vaults with stucco ribs; upstairs is a flat-ceilinged oratory from the second half of the 18th century.

The presbytery is segregated from the main nave by an ogive ; only the upper arch seems vigorous, the ribs are more delicate alongside the canopies in which the sculptures are embedded.

In the western part, there is a remarkable late Gothic triforium, supported by pillars of columns. The space under the triforium is vaulted with a net vault. The entrance to the triforium is lined with a saddle portal from 1510.

The three-aisles hall church is carried by four pairs of pillars, alternately in the outline of octagonal and four-leafed pillars. Each column is carrying a statue of a saint on a corbels, the two columns nearest to the altar are decorated by a statue of Mother Mary and the Saint Vitus, both statues have canopy above them. The main nave has a St. Vitus net vault type, in the main nave with stone ribs, in the side aisles are used ribs made of brick. The aisles are vaulted with cross rib vault. The ribs pass through the walls without capitals turning into a rounded fine pillar that extends from the ground.

The northern portal is Gothic, richly profiled, dating from about 1410. The wooden carved doors are from the late 17th century. The anteroom in front of him was vaulted in 1900.

Two chapels are added to the church. The Baroque Chapel of St. John of Nepomuk from 1725 built by A. E. Martinelli is rectangular, semi-circular. The Chapel of the Resurrection is originally Gothic, in the 18th century it was rebuilt in Baroque style (e.g. rid of ribs) and in 1777 it was painted by František Jakub Prokyš. The two chapels are entered from the nave by semicircular arches.

- Gothic fresco of St. Catherine on the north wall

- Valuable figural frescoes on the north wall

- On the South Wall - a fresco-illustration of the legend of St. Vitus

- Valuable altar from the early Baroque period

- Valuable tombstones and epitaphs of the Renaissance