kostel svatého Jana Křtitele (Chudenice) Church

The church of St. John the Baptist in Chudenice is a Gothic building from the second half of the 14th century, which was gradually enriched by Baroque elements. In the long term he was supported by the noblemen of Czernin, who left his oldest family home.

The beginnings of the construction dates back to around the middle of the 14th century when the priesthood and the main ship were built. The first written mention dates back to 1355. The original Gothic elements form the vault of the presbytery, a winning arch with a shield, a western portal and a sanctuary. The second half of the 14th century also comes from the presbytery. In the first half of the 16th century, a new cross was created over the main ship with a four-sided turret. In the Gothic era, the sacristy grew up with its late Gothic portal and original shields.

The Baroque modifications gradually changed the appearance of the building. In 1660, a tower was built that dominates the western facade. The baroque is also a crouch. In 1759, the painter Václav Kaplak decorated the fresco on the ceiling of the main ship. In the 18th century the cemetery spread around the church. In 1810, the orator and hall at the sacristy increased. In the first half of the 20th century - in 1912-1913 - the supporting elements of the circle were replaced and the interiors were repainted. Modernization continued: electricity was introduced in 1932, shingles roof of the tower was replaced by sheet metal in 1963, all interiors were repaired in 1983.

The construction has a rectangular plan with a presbytery forming a regular octagonal. On the north side of the presbytery, there is a rectangular sacristy, from which the square hall allows the transition between rooms. The west facade is dominated by a square base tower with an onion beating and an octave lantern protected by copper sheet metal. The facades are covered with smooth stucco plaster with crown ledge.

The interior was preserved by Gothic wall paintings from the 15th century. Special attention should be paid to the tomb of the Czernin family in the centre of the building. It contains the remains of Humprecht Czernins called the Helmsman († 1601) and his wife Ludmila Koc from Dobrše († 1583), Děpolka Provvy († 1660) and Jan Høman († 1707) from the chedenice branch. The box with the heart of Franz Joseph (1697- 1733) was also stored here. In 1895 the tomb was walled up and its sandstone tombstone with a knight in full armor and a family emblem was planted in the wall of the presbytery. The inscription dedicates eternal memory to the Czernin family. The church also keeps a double granite tombstone from 1598 reminiscent of Jacob the Elder Vrískova and his wife Voršil.