Church of Saint James the Greater in Stračov, Roman Catholic church in Stračov, Czech Republic
The Church of Saint James the Greater in Stračov is a Neo-Romanesque parish church built in 1903–1905 to a design by Václav Dyk. Its single nave has a saddle roof, five buttresses per side, and a 42-metre tower with an 18-metre pyramidal roof. The south portal has a carved tympanum, and the interior is raised above a sandstone plinth.
The present church is the fourth on the site. A Romanesque church first documented in 1361 was burned down by Swedes in 1639; a plain stone church built by Václav Záruba in 1667 burned in 1830. Count František Arnošt Harrach funded a Neo-Gothic church in 1844, but it began to collapse in 1891 and was demolished from 1903. The current Neo-Romanesque church was built in 1903–1905 to Václav Dyk's plan.
The church is dedicated to Saint James the Greater, and its parish inventory came from the previous church: altars, pews, confessional, pulpit and paintings were moved in after construction ended in 1905. An old stone baptismal font was also placed inside, and an organ by František Harrach has served the church for about 150 years.
The church stands on the sloping village square, so the south entrance by the tower is reached by 12 stone steps while the north side by the sacristy sits only about half a metre above the ground. The tower rises 42 metres with an 18-metre pyramidal roof, and its clock faces sit below the large windows. The slate roof was replaced with metal sheeting in 1983.
The church's organ, built by František Harrach, has been in use for about 150 years and was moved here from the demolished neo-Gothic church. The old stone baptismal font was also transferred into the new building after minor repairs.
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