The Catholic Pilgrim's Guide to Zelená Hora, Czechia

A UNESCO masterpiece of Baroque Gothic architecture where faith and geometry unite—Santini's star-shaped church honours St. John of Nepomuk, the martyr who kept silent unto death.

Rising from the forested slopes of the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands, the Pilgrimage Church of St. John of Nepomuk (Poutní kostel sv. Jana Nepomuckého) stands as one of the most extraordinary sacred buildings ever conceived—a star-shaped sanctuary where Baroque exuberance meets Gothic spirituality. Designed by the genius architect Jan Blažej Santini-Aichel and inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994, this pilgrimage church transforms the mystical number five—representing the martyr's stars, the wounds of Christ, and the Latin word tacui ("I kept silent")—into stone, light, and sacred geometry. On April 15, 1719, when the grave of St. John of Nepomuk was opened in Prague's St. Vitus Cathedral, what appeared to be the saint's incorrupt tongue fell from his skull. This discovery electrified Catholic Bohemia. Within days, Abbot Václav Vejmluva of the nearby Cistercian monastery had commissioned Santini to design a pilgrimage church on the green hill overlooking Žďár nad Sázavou. Construction began that August, and by 1722 the church was consecrated—the first major shrine dedicated to the saint who would be canonized seven years later. Santini, born hunchbacked and partially lame, could not follow his father into stonemasonry, yet his physical limitations seemed only to sharpen his visionary genius. The art historian Nikolaus Pevsner called him a "Bohemian Hawksmoor," and at Zelená Hora he created his masterpiece: a central church on a five-pointed star plan, surrounded by cloisters forming a ten-pointed star, the whole composition readable only from heaven. The interior rises through ten pillars to a dome crowned by a sculpted tongue—the symbol of the confessor who died rather than betray the secrets of the confessional. Today, pilgrims and architecture enthusiasts arrive from across Europe to experience this fusion of mathematical precision and spiritual meaning. The church remains an active place of worship under the care of the Roman Catholic parish of Žďár nad Sázavou, while the former Cistercian monastery below has been transformed into Žďár Castle (Zámek Žďár), home to the innovative New Generation Museum. Whether you come as a pilgrim seeking St. John's intercession or simply as a curious traveler drawn by architectural wonder, Zelená Hora offers an encounter with genius—both human and divine.

📜 History & Spiritual Significance

The story of Zelená Hora begins not with the pilgrimage church but with the Cistercian monks who arrived in this remote forested region in 1252. Founded by Boček of Kunštát, the monastery of Žďár prospered for centuries, its white-robed monks clearing forests, establishing fishponds, and bringing the rhythm of the Divine Office to the Bohemian-Moravian borderlands. By the early eighteenth century, the monastery was experiencing a renaissance under the energetic leadership of Abbot Václav Vejmluva. Vejmluva was already a devoted promoter of St. John of Nepomuk—the fourteenth-century priest martyred for refusing to reveal Queen Johanna's confession to the jealous King Wenceslaus IV. On March 20, 1393, John was tortured and thrown from Prague's Charles Bridge into the Vltava River. Legend tells that five stars appeared above the waters where he drowned. For over three centuries, Bohemians venerated him as a martyr of the confessional, and his statue became ubiquitous on bridges throughout Central Europe. When the opening of John's tomb in 1719 produced what seemed to be his preserved tongue, it confirmed for believers the legend of his holy silence. Abbot Vejmluva seized the moment. He commissioned Santini-Aichel—already famous for his innovative restorations of medieval churches in a style that married Baroque dynamism with Gothic spirituality—to create something entirely new: a pilgrimage church whose very architecture would tell the story of the saint. Santini delivered a building unlike anything seen before or since. Every element incorporates the number five: five entrances, five altar niches, five stars on the main altar, five angels bearing the saint heavenward. The church sits within circular cloisters that form a ten-pointed star—referencing both the Virgin Mary and the ten-sided well of the Žďár monastery. Gothic pointed arches pierce Baroque walls; ribs without structural purpose streak across the vault like memories of medieval cathedrals. Light enters through tongue-shaped windows, filling the space with ever-shifting luminosity. The church was consecrated in 1722, and Santini died the following year at just forty-six, leaving Zelená Hora as his crowning achievement. Pilgrims flocked to the new shrine, and in 1729 St. John of Nepomuk was canonized, his feast day set for May 16. For decades, Zelená Hora flourished under the Cistercians' care. In 1784, tragedy struck: a fire originating in the monastery below swept up the hill and damaged the church. That same year, Emperor Joseph II dissolved the monastery as part of his religious reforms. The church fell into neglect, surrounded by a growing forest, its cloisters converted to a cemetery. For nearly two centuries, Santini's masterpiece survived in obscurity. The tide turned in 1994 when UNESCO inscribed the Pilgrimage Church of St. John of Nepomuk on its World Heritage List, recognizing it as "the most unusual work by the great architect Jan Blažej Santini." Careful restoration began, stripping away alterations and returning the church to Santini's original vision. Today, the sanctuary gleams white against the green hillside once more, its star-shaped silhouette visible for miles—a beacon calling pilgrims to contemplate the mystery of sacred silence.

☩ Pilgrimage Sites in Zelená Hora

The pilgrimage complex spreads across Zelená Hora ("Green Mountain") and the grounds of the former Cistercian monastery below. The hilltop church is reached by a renovated stone stairway ascending through meadows, while the castle complex offers museums and the monastery's original Baroque church. Together, they form a unified sacred landscape shaped by eight centuries of monastic and pilgrimage tradition.

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Pilgrimage Church of St. John of Nepomuk (Poutní kostel sv. Jana Nepomuckého na Zelené hoře)

Local Name: Kostel sv. Jana Nepomuckého na Zelené hoře Address: Zelená hora, 591 02 Žďár nad Sázavou, Czechia GPS Coordinates: 49.5801, 15.9421 Google Maps: View on Google Maps Website: zelena-hora.cz Dedication: St. John of Nepomuk Historical Note: Built between 1719 and 1722, this is Jan Blažej Santini-Aichel's masterpiece and the finest example of his unique Baroque Gothic style. The church was commissioned by Abbot Václav Vejmluva to honour St. John of Nepomuk following the discovery of what was believed to be the saint's incorrupt tongue. Every architectural element incorporates the number five—the five stars of the saint's halo, the five wounds of Christ, and the five letters of the Latin tacui ("I kept silent"). The circular cloisters surrounding the church form a ten-pointed star and originally provided shelter for pilgrims; they now enclose a historic cemetery. Spiritual Importance: This is the first major church ever dedicated to St. John of Nepomuk, predating his canonization by seven years. The entire structure is a meditation in stone on the virtue of holy silence and the sanctity of the confessional seal. At the apex of the dome, a sculpted tongue symbolizes the saint's martyrdom. Pilgrims come to venerate the patron of confessors, to seek his intercession against slander, and to experience the transcendent play of light within Santini's geometric universe.

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Žďár Castle & New Generation Museum (Zámek Žďár & Muzeum nové generace)

Local Name: Zámek Žďár Address: Zámek 8/8, 591 02 Žďár nad Sázavou, Czechia GPS Coordinates: 49.5768, 15.9386 Google Maps: View on Google Maps Website: zamekzdar.cz Dedication: Former Cistercian monastery (1252) Historical Note: Founded in 1252, the Cistercian monastery of Žďár was one of the great monastic houses of Moravia. After its dissolution in 1784, the buildings were converted into an aristocratic residence and eventually passed to the Kinský family, who regained ownership in 1992. The New Generation Museum, opened in 2015 in the former brewery, uses multimedia installations to tell the story of the monastery, Abbot Vejmluva, and Santini's architectural vision. Visitors can explore exhibitions on Cistercian life, Baroque art from the National Gallery, and the Kinský family history. Spiritual Importance: Though no longer a monastery, the grounds retain the sacred atmosphere of their Cistercian origins. The castle complex provides essential context for understanding Zelená Hora's significance: here, eight centuries of monastic prayer laid the foundation for Santini's spiritual masterpiece on the hill above.

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Basilica of Our Lady of the Assumption and St. Nicholas (Bazilika Nanebevzetí Panny Marie a sv. Mikuláše)

Local Name: Klášterní kostel Nanebevzetí Panny Marie a sv. Mikuláše Address: Zámek 2/2, 591 02 Žďár nad Sázavou, Czechia GPS Coordinates: 49.5772, 15.9378 Google Maps: View on Google Maps Dedication: Our Lady of the Assumption, St. Nicholas Historical Note: This Gothic church was the heart of the Cistercian monastery, originally built in the thirteenth century and later reconstructed by Santini following a devastating fire in 1689. The architect sensitively restored the medieval structure while adding his characteristic Baroque-Gothic touches to the vaulting and interior. The church preserves the austere beauty typical of Cistercian architecture, with its soaring nave leading the eye heavenward. Spiritual Importance: Mass is still celebrated in this church, maintaining an unbroken thread of prayer stretching back to the monastery's foundation in 1252. Pilgrims visiting Zelená Hora often begin their journey here, in the spiritual atmosphere that nurtured Abbot Vejmluva's vision, before ascending to the hilltop shrine above.

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Church of St. Procopius (Kostel sv. Prokopa)

Local Name: Kostel svatého Prokopa Address: Náměstí Republiky, 591 01 Žďár nad Sázavou, Czechia GPS Coordinates: 49.5628, 15.9393 Google Maps: View on Google Maps Dedication: St. Procopius Historical Note: Located in the town centre, this parish church dates to 1391 and was rebuilt in Late Gothic style in 1560. Its tower is open to visitors, offering panoramic views of the town, the castle complex, and Zelená Hora in the distance. Adjacent stands the Baroque Chapel of St. Barbara from 1729—the same year St. John of Nepomuk was canonized. Spiritual Importance: Dedicated to St. Procopius, a ninth-century Bohemian hermit and abbot, this church serves the Catholic faithful of Žďár nad Sázavou and provides pilgrims with an additional sacred site in the town centre.

🕯️ Annual Feast Days & Celebrations

May 16 – Feast of St. John of Nepomuk Pilgrimage Church of St. John of Nepomuk. The principal feast draws pilgrims from throughout Czechia and beyond to honour the patron saint of confessors. Solemn Mass is celebrated within Santini's star-shaped sanctuary, followed by processions through the cloister and across the pilgrimage grounds. The feast commemorates the saint who was thrown from Prague's Charles Bridge in 1393 for keeping the seal of confession. August 15 – Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Basilica of Our Lady of the Assumption and St. Nicholas. The patronal feast of the former monastery church celebrates Mary's assumption into heaven with festive liturgies in the Gothic-Baroque interior that Santini restored.

🛏️ Where to Stay

Zámek Žďár 📍 Address: Zámek 2/2, 591 02 Žďár nad Sázavou, Czechia 🌐 Website: zamekzdar.cz 🔗 Booking: Book on Booking.com Accommodation within the castle complex itself, just steps from the monastery church and a short walk to Zelená Hora. A unique opportunity to sleep in historic surroundings. Kaple svaté Markéty (Chapel of St. Margaret) 📍 Address: Konventní, 591 02 Žďár nad Sázavou, Czechia 🔗 Booking: Book on Booking.com A renovated historic building of the former monastery complex with garden, bar, and spa facilities. Located beside the pond between the castle and Zelená Hora. Penzion Taferna 📍 Address: Santiniho 167, 591 02 Žďár nad Sázavou, Czechia Family-run guesthouse a seven-minute walk from the pilgrimage church, offering comfortable rooms and breakfast. Hotel Hajcman ⭐⭐⭐ 📍 Address: Veselská 14, 591 02 Žďár nad Sázavou, Czechia 🔗 Booking: Book on Booking.com Three-star hotel in a quiet location 500 metres from the town centre, with restaurant serving Czech cuisine and free Wi-Fi. Hotel U Labutě ⭐⭐⭐ 📍 Address: Strojírenská 234/6, 591 01 Žďár nad Sázavou, Czechia 🔗 Booking: Book on Booking.com Renovated historic inn in the town centre with massage services, restaurant, and free parking.

🚗 Getting There

By Air: The nearest major airports are Prague Václav Havel Airport (PRG), approximately 155 km northwest, and Brno-Tuřany Airport (BRQ), approximately 60 km southeast. Both offer car rental and connections to public transport. By Train: Žďár nad Sázavou has direct rail connections from Prague (Praha hlavní nádraží) and Brno. From Prague, trains operated by České dráhy (ČD) depart hourly, with a journey time of approximately 2 hours 30 minutes. From Brno-Královo Pole, direct trains take about 53 minutes. The railway station is located in the town centre, approximately 2 km from Zelená Hora. By Bus: Regional bus services connect Žďár nad Sázavou with Jihlava, Brno, and other towns in the Vysočina Region. By Car: From Prague, take the D1 motorway southeast toward Brno, then exit at Velká Bíteš and follow Route 37 north to Žďár nad Sázavou. The journey takes approximately 1 hour 45 minutes (155 km). From Brno, take Route 43 northwest to Svitavy, then follow Route 19 to Žďár nad Sázavou, or use the D1 and exit at Velká Bíteš. Free parking is available at the castle complex. Local Transport: From the town centre or railway station, it is approximately 2 km to Zelená Hora. The walk takes about 25 minutes through pleasant surroundings. Visitors can also drive to the castle complex and then walk up the renovated stone stairway to the hilltop church (approximately 10 minutes on foot).

📚 Further Reading

Books:

  • Mojmír Horyna, Jan Blažej Santini-Aichel (Karolinum Press) – The definitive monograph on Santini's life and work, with extensive analysis of Zelená Hora.
  • Dalibor Veselý, Architecture in the Age of Divided Representation (MIT Press) – Includes scholarly discussion of Santini's Baroque Gothic synthesis.

Articles & Online Resources:

🎥 Recommended Videos

🔗 Useful Links

✝️ Closing Reflection

"Tacui."

— Latin, "I kept silent"—the five-letter word encoded in every element of Santini's star-shaped church, commemorating St. John of Nepomuk's martyrdom for the seal of confession.

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Pilgrims are encouraged to contact the parish or check the official website for current Mass times, tour schedules, and special celebrations. The hilltop church and castle complex welcome visitors throughout the year, though opening hours may vary seasonally.