Kostel sv. Jana Křtitele a minoritský klášter

About the museum

Construction of the Church of St John the Baptist began in the third quarter of the 13th century. Around 1320 the Minorites took over the unfinished church and completed it by the mid-14th century. The site had already been settled in the 11th and 12th centuries. The Hussites burned the complex, and at the end of the 15th century the original timber ceiling of the nave was replaced by a star vault. The site is linked to the lords of Hradec, the Slavatas and the Černíns, and it shows well how the town developed from the Middle Ages to the 19th century.

The wall paintings from the mid-14th century are among the important works of Czech painting of their time. The Annunciation to the Virgin Mary with the twelve apostles is accompanied by strange geometric shapes and grotesque figures, for which the church has been nicknamed “the most mysterious place in Bohemia”. Art historians interpret them as drolleries, that is humorous and fantastical scenes known from medieval manuscripts. The Chapel of St Nicholas is considered a pearl of high Gothic in southern Bohemia. In the cross-corridor of the cloister is a late Gothic painting of the Tree of Life, which at the same time represents the family tree of Jesus Christ.

The Jindřichův Hradec Museum has managed the complex since the 1980s and, after a demanding reconstruction, operates exhibition spaces, permanent exhibitions, a conference hall, a library with a reading room and offices. Visitors can see the exhibition of ecclesiastical art in the Chapel of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, the Baroque wood carving Tree of Life, and, in the sacristy, an anamorphic portrait of the creator of the Krýza Nativity Scene by Patrik Prošek.

Highlights

• Gothic wall paintings from the mid-14th century with mysterious drolleries
• Chapel of St Nicholas, a pearl of high Gothic in southern Bohemia
• late Gothic painting of the Tree of Life in the cloister's cross-corridor
• Baroque wood carving Tree of Life
• anamorphic portrait of Tomáš Krýza by Patrik Prošek
• late Gothic tomb of Magdalena of Gleichen

Permanent exhibitions

• Jindřichohradecké církevní umění – Renaissance epitaphs, Baroque altars and sculptures from the region, set in the Baroque Chapel of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary.
• Strom života – A Baroque wood carving about two metres high, one of the most remarkable in southern Bohemia, depicts the last events of Christ's earthly life.
• Anamorfní portrét Tomáše Krýzy – A thousand objects form a portrait of the creator of the Krýza Nativity Scene when viewed from the right angle.

Operated by

Muzeum Jindřichohradecka (zřizovatel Jihočeský kraj)

Admission & discounts

Holders of the Senior Pass and the Family Pass receive a 50% discount on the basic admission. Admission tickets once purchased are neither refunded nor exchanged. The main museum building on Balbín Square has separate admission.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

One stone step leads into the church, the presbytery and the Chapel of St Nicholas. The conference and exhibition hall in the monastery is accessible. The cloister and the exhibition of ecclesiastical art in the Chapel of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary can be reached only by the staircase from the entrance hall or via one stone step in the presbytery.

Kids & families

Children under 6 enter free; educational programmes are available for school groups.

Getting there & parking

The complex stands on Štítného Street in the historic centre of the town.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Corporate events
• Weddings / ceremonies

Up to 70 guests.

Available for hire: the conference hall (up to 70 people), the exhibition halls and the Church of St John the Baptist, for concerts, private views and weddings.

Plan your visit