300 years of the Saint John's Star

A church like no other

The Pilgrimage Church of St. John of Nepomuk on Zelená hora in Žďár nad Sázavou in the Vysočina region is a historical monument registered on the UNESCO World Heritage List. And rightfully so! The church was built in just three years at the beginning of the 1820s and is undoubtedly the most original work of Jan Blažej Santini Aichel, who is known as an architect who combined both styles of Baroque and Gothic architecture. The church is modest and full of symbolism referring to the most famous Czech saint, St. John of Nepomuk, to whom the church is dedicated. The motif of the five stars of St. John is repeated everywhere, and even the floor plan of the church is one big star. According to legend, a crown with five stars appeared over the body of John of Nepomuk, which is why Santini incorporated the five-star symbolism into his project. In addition, the entire renovation of the building and its surroundings was completed this year, and you will literally be taken back in time in the church. You can experience for yourself what people experienced exactly 300 years ago. Almost everything has been restored to its original state, including original colouring and fixtures.

Žďár nad Sázavou – a town full of memorable experiences

But you can experience much more in Žďár nad Sázavou in the Vysočina region. In the local castle, a former monastery, you will find the The New Generation Museum. It offers a unique combination of state-of-the-art audio and video technology with key moments in the history of the former Cistercian monastery and castle. When visiting the museum, you are allowed to touch the exhibits and perceive them with all your senses! Upstairs, you will be greeted by a mirror kaleidoscope, from which you will step into the colourful world of the Baroque and Baroque art. You will come to understand some of the secrets of the Pilgrimage Church of St. John of Nepomuk and you can even virtually meet the architect Santini! You can also visit the most interesting places of the former monastery during a tour called In the Footsteps of Santini, during which you will also see a wonderful ceiling fresco, the building of the former prelature and the local basilica. You can round off your trip to the Baroque era in the castle's Baroque gallery, where the masters of Czech Baroque painting, such as Karel Škréta or Petr Brandl, await you. The castle offers a whole range of sightseeing tours and experiences! Such as a café with a view of the Pilgrimage Church of St. John of Nepomuk.

Join in on the celebrations of the consecration

An homage to Baroque (28 Aug. – 23 Sept.)
A live artistic experiment on Konventní rybník Pond! You will get to see two original sculptural works right on the water.

Holy Mass Pilgrimage in the Church of St. Jan of Nepomuk (24 Sept. at 4:30 p.m.)

Florianer Sängerknaben from the Sankt Florian Monastery (24 Sept. at 7:00 p.m.)
A concert by a unique 30-member boys’ choir from Austria on a floating pontoon on the waters of a pond. This ensemble celebrated the incredible 950th anniversary of its founding in 2021.

Holy Mass Pilgrimage in the Minor Basilica of the Assumption of St. Mary (25 Sept. at 9:00 a.m.)

Celebratory Te Deum in the Church of St. John of Nepomuk (25 Sept. at 5:00 p.m.)
Tišnov chamber orchestra and mixed choir will ring out the walls of the pilgrimage church with compositions by important European composers of sacred classical music, such as Mozart, Handel and Schubert.

Folk costume pilgrimage to St. John of Nepomuk (28 Sept. at 10:00 a.m.)

Trio Vita Sonata in the Church of St. John of Nepomuk (1 Oct. at 6 p.m.)
A concert of an unusual German formation, accompanied by soloists from Žďár nad Sázavou.