Kostel svaté Kateřiny (Štramberk) Church

The Church of St. Catherine in Štramberk, located in the district of Nový Jičín in Moravia, is a fascinating example of the temporary type of construction between the wooden and brick churches. This monument was included in the state list of cultural monuments in 1966, which shows its historical and architectural importance. The church boasts a rich history and a unique construction that illustrates the beginnings of Czech masonry architecture.

The history of the church dates back to the turn of the 14th and 15th centuries, when it was built as a filial church under the bishop of Ostrava. The 2009 Dendrological Survey confirms that the cross over the priesthood and parts of the ship were built between 1440 and 1441. The tower was built later, namely in 1557, while the wooden circle dates from 1609- 1610. The church was originally located in the village of Tamovice, but it disappeared and was subsequently assigned to the village of Zavisice.

In 1671 a new altar with gold cuts and a picture of St. Catherine was taken to the church. A significant change was made in 1682 when the windows were enlarged. The church has undergone several repairs over the years, most recently in 1774 and 1881. In 1895, the Baroque altar was replaced by a neo-Gothic altar with a statue of St. Catherine.

In 1935 the church of St. Cyril and Methodius was built in Zavisice, which led to the abandonment and neglect of St. Catherine's Church. During World War II, the Nazis set up a horseman in the church. In 1949-1950 the church was repaired, but in the 1990s it was robbed. The extensive reconstruction took place between 2011 and 2012 with costs of CZK 4.8 million, of which 4.4 million were from EU funds through the Regional Operational Programme of the Cohesion Region Moravia-Silesia. In 2013, the church of St. Catherine was awarded the title Memorial of the Year for the best project and realization of the real cultural monument.

Architecturally, the church is a single-boat, oriented building with a rectangular priesthood. The church is covered with a steep saddle shingles roof and has a tower with a low needle shingles roof on top of the ridge, which is lined with boards. The interior of the ship shall measure 6,7 × 5,5 metres, the priesthood 5,4 × 5,2 metres and the sacristy 4,5 × 2 metres. Between the ship and the priesthood is the original Gothic broken victory arch with a stone lining. In the centreline of the priesthood there is an original broken window with a circle in the form of a four leaf. The ceiling of the boat is a wooden cassette and there is a three-arm circle around the perimeter carried by beam pillars.

St. Catherine's Church in Štramberk is not only an architectural monument, but also a place with rich history and interesting events. The area around the church defines the wooden fence and is an archaeological site where medieval graves were uncovered during rescue surveys. Near the church there is the Proskov Chapel, which is part of the old cross road from Circuit.

Today, the church of St. Catherine in Štramberk is accessible to visitors and it is worth visiting it not only because of its historical significance, but also because of its beautiful architecture and rich past. This monument witnessed many changes and events that shaped its current form and meaning. Visiting St. Catherine's Church means time travel and discovering a unique page of Czech history.