Church of Saint Mary Magdalene, Religious monument in Bor, Czech Republic.
The Church of Saint Mary Magdalene is an early Gothic single-nave stone building with a rectangular plan, a narrower rectangular presbytery, and a 30-metre brick tower at the west front. The nave has a saddleback shingle roof and Baroque windows with segmental arches; the tower is topped by a steep pyramidal copper roof and carries clock faces. A sacristy with two buttresses adjoins the north side of the presbytery.
Archaeological research dates the core of this early Gothic church to around 1260; it was first documented in 1342, when the abbot of Waldsassen held patronage rights. A sacristy was added around 1500 and the bell Panna Maria hung in 1514. The nave was extended and re-roofed in 1770, lightning destroyed the tower in 1839, and a new neoclassical tower was built in 1874–1875 by Karel Piehl of Sedlec.
The church serves the local community as a gathering place for worship and religious celebrations throughout the year. Visitors notice how people come to pray here, making it a living center of faith rather than just an old building.
The church remains active and welcomes visitors during service times. It is helpful to check when services occur to experience the place when it is in use.
The church belongs to the Plzeň diocese, not České Budějovice. A Gothic bell named Gloria, cast before 1400, still hangs in the tower; its diameter and height are 83 cm. A reconciliation cross stands by the side entrance.
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