Church of Saint Wenceslaus, church in Letohrad
The Church of Saint Wenceslaus in Letohrad is a church building and cultural monument of the Czech Republic located on Václavské náměstí, the main square of the town. The structure displays Italian baroque influences with elaborate interior stucco work by Italian artist Giovanni Maderna, a main altar decorated with statues of Saint Vojtěch and Saint Prokop, and a painting of Saint Wenceslaus's death by Christian Sambach.
The building was constructed between 1680 and 1685 by Italian builder Antonio Demaggio and dedicated to Saint Wenceslaus by Bishop Jan František Kryštof of Hradec Králové. The interior was expanded in the 18th century with paintings and sculptures including works by Christian Sambach and local artists, plus organs from the 1800s and French Stations of the Cross installed in 1902.
The church is dedicated to Saint Wenceslaus, the patron saint of the Czech lands, and carries his name as a symbol of faith for the community. The interior stucco work created by Italian artisans shows how external artistic influences became woven into the local spiritual life and continue to shape how visitors experience the space.
The church sits directly on the main square of Letohrad and is easy to reach and spot. A visit on foot works well, as the quiet surroundings with nearby old buildings and the adjacent castle make for a relaxed walk through the town's historic center.
The painting of Saint Wenceslaus by Christian Sambach shows him unusually as a praying figure who intercedes for the weak and troubled, rather than as a king or warrior as in traditional depictions. The stucco ceiling with its intricate patterns was based on a biblical psalm and created by artists brought from Milan specifically for this project.
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