Church of Saints Peter and Paul, Late Baroque church in Úštěk-Vnitřní Město, Czech Republic
The Church of Saints Peter and Paul is a single-nave Baroque building with a tower set into its western facade, on Mírové náměstí in Úštěk. Pairs of tall pilasters and high windows divide the walls, and sandstone statues of Saints Peter and Paul flank the cornice. The tower's provisional dome was never replaced by a finished spire.
The church replaced a smaller 14th-century Church of St. Michael, demolished on 11 September 1764; the foundation stone was laid on 24 September 1764. The Jesuits from Liběšice Castle authorized the construction. A fire in August 1765 destroyed the roof and the old furnishings stored nearby, but the altarpiece by Karel Škréta was saved. The first service was held on 8 November 1767, and construction finished in 1772.
The church holds side altars of St Anne and St Joseph, made in 1773, whose paintings came from Prague's St Nicholas Church on Old Town Square after its abolition in 1785. A large nativity scene stands behind a curtain at the second window, kept only temporarily but given a permanent place because of its size; its elephant figure matches a newborn calf.
The church stands on Mírové náměstí in the centre of Úštěk, with three entrances on the west facade and four side entrances. The tower was never completed after the 1765 fire, so its provisional dome remains; look for the sandstone statues of Saints Peter and Paul flanking the facade cornice.
The tower was never completed after the 1765 fire and lack of funds, so its provisional dome survives to this day. The facade is flanked by sandstone Baroque statues of Saints Peter and Paul.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 92,333 contributors worldwide.