Malotice – Church, Fortress and Rural Landscape

Malotice combines a historic centre with a gently rolling agricultural landscape. At its heart stands the Church of St. Matthew; fields, copses and small patches of woodland shape the surroundings. The former fortress tells another chapter in the town’s history, though it is not open to visitors. When looking for accommodation in Malotice, consider whether you are most interested in the town’s architectural history, local landmarks or landscape.

The Church of St. Matthew: Architectural History and Furnishings

The church stands in the centre of Malotice in an enclosed area bounded by a perimeter wall. The masonry building has a single nave, a rectangular plan and an eastward orientation. Its design features rounded corners and a semicircular end, with a tower centred on the west façade. These features give the building a clear, longitudinal form.

The church dates back to a predecessor building, probably Romanesque, from the first half of the 13th century, first mentioned in 1309. In 1864, the chapel’s nave was demolished. A new Pseudo-Romanesque church was built to a design by Josef Falta, a master builder from Šternberk, adjoining the original chancel. The church thus reflects both its early architectural history and the changes of the 19th century.

The high altar also brings together several artistic influences: the late Baroque altar features a Rococo painting of St. Matthew by Vít Prossil, dating from 1798. On either side stand Rococo statues of St. Procopius and St. Adalbert from the 1760s. If you would like to visit the church interior, check access arrangements before your visit.

Former Fortress: Granary and Renaissance Sgraffito

The former fortress was converted into a granary. The imposing two-storey building is located in a farmyard in the northern part of Malotice. It also stands on the shore of a pond in the western part of the town, on the site of the former manor farm No. 1. The fortress itself is not open to visitors.

Traces of Renaissance sgraffito survive on the building’s façades. The complex also includes a perimeter wall with arcades. Together with the Church of St. Matthew, the fortress is a historic landmark of the town and one of the important secular cultural monuments of the southern Kouřimsko region. Its history recalls that Malotice was first an independent noble estate and later a subordinate market town. The church and fortress represent different chapters in the town’s history: the development of a religious building on the one hand, and the conversion of a fortress into a granary on the other.

The Statue of St. Procopius

The Baroque sandstone statue of St. Procopius was erected in 1703 at the expense of František Damián ze Šternberka, the owner of the Malotice estate. On stylistic grounds, the statue is attributed to the Kutná Hora sculptor František Martin Katterbauer; no direct archival evidence of his authorship is currently known.

In May 1925, vandals damaged the statue and broke off its arms. It was subsequently moved to the Church of St. Matthew to protect it from further damage. It stands against the church’s south wall. The same practical consideration applies to visiting the statue as to the church interior: check in advance whether access is possible.

Choosing Malotice as a Place to Stay

The surrounding area is a gently rolling agricultural landscape with extensive fields, copses and small patches of woodland. This offers two distinct interests: the historic buildings in the town and the rural surroundings. The architecture provides specific points of interest for those interested in cultural history; the landscape is characterised by fields and small patches of woodland. This distinction can help you clarify what you want from your trip before looking for a hotel in Malotice.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Toušice, Pečky, Volárna, Uhlířská Lhota, Český Brod, Nova Ves I, Lošany, Kořenice.

See the main travel overview: Kolín District.