Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and of Saint Wenceslaus, Gothic church in Kralupy nad Vltavou, Czech Republic.
The Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and of Saint Wenceslaus is a Gothic building featuring a pentagonal presbytery, a prismatic tower, and three naves arranged symmetrically. The structure includes seven pairs of octahedral columns and rows of windows along the outer walls following South-German Gothic design.
Construction began in 1517 under architect Jakob Heilmann from Schweinfurt after the original deanery church burned in 1515. The new building replaced a destroyed religious center that the town needed to restore.
The church served as a spiritual center where local guilds and citizens built chapels to honor different patron saints, reflecting their devotion. These sixteen chapels remain visible today as a record of community faith and participation.
The building is accessible during regular Catholic services and displays Gothic and Renaissance artwork from north-western Bohemia. Visitors can take time to explore the interior art and architectural details at their own pace.
The building displays an unusual structural feature with seven pairs of octahedral columns that supported the construction in a distinctive way. This detail is often overlooked but reveals how local craftsmen adapted Gothic design to their specific needs.
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