Nové Hrady - The Church of St. Peter and Paul

Trail "People and their Landscape"

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The first references to the Peter & Paul Church originate from 1284. The original church, however, together with the entire town and castle was destroyed in 1425 by the Hussites, and later in 1467 again by fire. Construction of the new church in late-Gothic style took almost a century. Starting in the early 1500s, building was completed in 1590. Since then the church has retained its original form from 1590. The one exception is the church tower, which was destroyed by lightning in 1607. It was first fitted with a renaissance - finally with a baroque bulbous dome. The nave has a late gothic and renaissance vault. The presbytery houses a tomb, its slab of red marble covering the Buqouy Family crypt. Here most of its members are interred. Throughout the years 1749 – 1783, Friars of the Order of Servants of Mary (Servites) were buried under a granite slab positions in the centre of the nave.

Kostel 1   Kostel 2

The main altar is of worthy design. On the altar is the woodcut picture „Virgin Mary Trost“ or „Virgin Mary of Záblatí“. This picture was saved by Count Karl Bonaventura Buquoy in 1619 from a burning house during the Battle of Záblatí. Afterwards, the count took to always carrying the image with him. After his death, the picture was kept in Vienna, but was returned to Nove Hrady in 1674. Later, the Countess Margaret Buquoy had the fire-damaged woodcut put in a frame with a gilded aureole. Afterwards, until the year 1785, the image was carried through the town as part of processions.

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