Kostel svatých Petra a Pavla (Petrovice) Church

Welcome to Petrovice. Right now, you are standing in front of the parish church of St. Peter and Paul, which represents one of the most important sacral structures in the whole of the country. Notice how majestic and yet peaceful this historical dominance is coming out of the surrounding building. Let the atmosphere of a place that remembers centuries of human destinies, joys, and hard trials. Take a deep breath and let's reveal together the stories that are firmly linked to this temple.

Let's move forward in time and look at the very beginnings of this place. History goes deep into the past, for it has already seen the end of the twelfth century as a predecessor of today's temple. The first written mention of the village dates back to twelve hundred nineteen, with the parish church itself dedicated to St. Peter and Paul's first written mention of 13 hundred and fifty springs. Imagine how many generations of people have passed this sacred place. Over the centuries, of course, the building was undergoing transformations that reflected the construction styles and needs of local believers. Now pay attention to the architecture itself and the elements that you can observe right in front of you.

Although the church has undergone later building modifications, it still carries strong traces of its Gothic past. When you look at the ancient parts of the building, you can admire the preserved cross vault of the presbytery and the stone sharp portal of the side entrance. These details are a direct testament to the original Gothic temple from the end of the twelfth century, which stood there long before newer styles signed the form of the building.

When we look at other chapters of history, we cannot forget the significant break in the seventeenth and subsequently in the early eighteenth century. In seventeen hundred twenty-one, the Jesuits had the already decrepit Gothic church rebuilt in a baroque style, while they also newly established a local rectory. The Jesuits were able to connect the new Baroque elements with the older parts of the building sensitively, creating a unique whole. The church then experienced other building modifications in the nineteenth century, which brought further changes to the face of the whole parish.

The interesting thing about this place is that many of them touch the everyday life of our ancestors. For example, did you know that the cemetery has surrounded the church for centuries? Until the 1800s, eighty-eight people were buried immediately around the temple. It was only in that year that the 88th decade of the nineteenth century that the cemetery was moved away from the current building of the village, which certainly brought about a change in the nature of the whole area.

The story of the church is also linked to the agitated events of the twentieth century. After the First World War, the whole interior and exterior were restored, and in nineteen hundred twenty-five new bells were ceremonially hung, named after the patrons of the temple, namely Saint Peter and Saint Paul. But the fated fates of bells in the Czech countries were also inevitable to Petrovice, but the history of the place shows the resilient will of the locals to preserve their heritage. This is also witnessed by the year nineteen hundred and sixty-six, when two new bells were borrowed from Liběchov near Mělnik to the large tower to fill the surrounding landscape with their voice again.

You are standing in a place where traces of goth, baroque reforms of the Jesuit order and the modern history of our nation intersect. I believe that the view of stone portals and arches carries the same power as centuries ago when people came here to seek refuge and hope. Now, look at the facade in peace and let the atmosphere of this memorable place come to pass. Thank you for your attention, I hope you enjoyed our stopping together, and I wish you a beautiful day in the further discovery of the surrounding beauty. Goodbye.