Pilgrimage Church of St. John of Nepomuk on the Green Mountain in Žďár nad Sázavou is a unique work of art and the most distinctive achievement of the brilliant Czech architect with Italian ancestry , Jan Blažej Santini-Aichl. It was built between 1719 and 1722 near the Žďár monastery and represents an exceptional Baroque Gothic architecture that goes beyond the common artistic norms and ideas of the time.
The most famous monument, a UNESCO World Heritage Site for nearly thirty years, can be found on Zelená hora in Žďár nad Sázavou.
Pilgrimage Church of St. John of Nepomuk designed by the architect Jan Blažej Santini Aichl, rises above the former Cistercian monastery, now a castle, and was built three centuries ago at the instigation of the Cistercian abbot Václav Vejmluva.
Important information about the Church of St. John of Nepomuk
– The grounds of the pilgrimage church of St. John of Nepomuk were included in the prestigious UNESCO World Heritage List in 1994 for their uniqueness .
– After 75 years, three bells have returned to Zelená hora: in the tower of the church St. Cyril and Methodius (rings at 12 o’clock), in the ambo St. Vojtěch (rings at 8 o’clock) and St. Zdislava (rings at 6 o’clock).
– The ambit of the church is freely accessible all year round, tours are held according to opening hours.
New Stations of the Cross Pilgrimage Church of St. John of Nepomuk on Zelená hora
On the Green Mountain in Žďár, a cross path was installed in the repaired ambyte, created by academic painter Jiří Štourač. A new work of art consisting of 14 paintings.
The Stations of the Cross lead from the water spring in the ambo to the chapel, where people can remember and light a candle for those who have been buried at the church since the 19th century.
The pilgrimage complex designed by architect Jan Blažej Santini-Aichl is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, since its inscription on the prestigious list 30 years ago this year. Two years of repairs to its ambo were completed in spring 2024. Two statues of angels have also returned above the main gate after more than two centuries to replace those that were once destroyed.
