Church of Saint Maurice, Gothic church in Kroměříž, Czech Republic

The Church of Saint Maurice is a Gothic structure with a rectangular floor plan and twin towers standing in the heart of Kroměříž at the site of an earlier building. The interior contains various architectural layers that reflect construction changes made over different periods.

A bishop called Bruno von Schauenburg began construction in the second half of the 13th century and was later buried beneath the main altar. Hussite movements damaged the building later, and repairs during and after the Thirty Years' War fundamentally changed its appearance.

The dedication to Saint Maurice was unusual in the Czech lands; Bishop Bruno von Schauenburg chose it after his earlier post as provost at Saint Maurice in Magdeburg. Pilgrims still come on the Friday before Easter, a tradition documented by 1887, when they travelled from Prostějov, Holešov and Bystřice pod Hostýnem. Since 2011 a national pilgrimage gathering is held here each year.

The building stands on Stojanovo Square in the city center and is easy to reach on foot. It is worth checking opening hours in advance or contacting the local parish before visiting to ensure access.

The church owes its unusual dedication to Saint Maurice to Bishop Bruno von Schauenburg, who had been provost at Saint Maurice in Magdeburg before founding this chapter around 1260. The main altar painting by Viennese painter Anton Petter shows the Theban Legion martyr as a white man.