Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Litomyšl, Gothic church in Litomyšl, Czech Republic

The Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Litomyšl is a Gothic structure featuring carved stone details and colored glass windows showing biblical scenes. The interior displays ornamental elements typical of the Gothic architectural style throughout the space.

Bishop Jan II of Středa brought the Augustinian Hermits to Litomyšl in 1355 and had a monastery and church built from 1356 under master Jakub; the shell was finished in 1376. After the Hussite wars the church survived intact, and in 1448 the parish was transferred here from the vanished church of St Clement. A fire in 1460 destroyed the Gothic vault of the main nave.

The church is the main church of the Litomyšl parish, where believers gather for regular services; concerts of classical music and other cultural events take place here year-round. A chapter was established at the church in 1994, the 650th anniversary of the Litomyšl bishopric.

The church is open to visitors, and guided tours are available to explain the architectural features. Allow time to explore the building at leisure and examine its details carefully.

The south porch and the dean's crypt beneath the north porch are easy to miss; the Chapel of St Joseph, between the presbytery and the sacristy, keeps its 1350s window tracery, vault ribs and a fragment of fresco painting. The church also holds the reliquary of St Victorinus, brought here from the ruins of Litomyšl's cathedral after the Hussite wars.