Cathedral of St. Nicholas in České Budějovice
The Cathedral of St. Nicholas holds immense historical value for České Budějovice. After the establishment of the new diocese based in the city, this church was elevated to cathedral status, becoming the first and main church of the entire diocese.
The origins of the Church of St. Nicholas date back to the 13th century, when it was founded as a parish church for the royal town. Between 1518–1535, it was rebuilt in the Late Gothic style, and again in 1551 after the structure collapsed. In 1641, it was almost completely destroyed by a major fire, prompting another reconstruction – this time in the Baroque style. Italian builders J. Cipriani and F. Canevalle were commissioned for the work. The church was completed in 1649, and between 1686–1688, Italian architect G. A. de Maggi remodeled the facade, with stucco decorations added by S. Careghetti.
Further renovations took place in 1857–58, 1912–13, and 1969–70. The three-nave interior is divided by three pairs of massive square pillars and topped with a barrel vault featuring lunettes. The rich stucco decoration was created by T. Zeisl. The main altar from 1791, by Z. Hueber, is dominated by a large painting of St. Nicholas from 1648 by D. Bachmann.
Do you know that...
…did you know that a cemetery once surrounded the church? It was in use from the city's founding until 1784 and served mainly the local bourgeois families. A 2001 archaeological excavation revealed intriguing grave goods – jewelry, medallions, and crosses.
