Sudějov – A Pilgrimage Site Between Forests and Fields

Sudějov combines a Baroque pilgrimage complex with a living pilgrimage tradition and a picturesque landscape of forests and fields. At its center is St. Anne’s Church, whose history, chapels, and regular services give the village a distinct cultural character. This creates a destination where religious history, art, and a landscape-shaped setting come together within a compact thematic area.

Mass and Pilgrimage in Sudějov

Pilgrims and visitors can attend Mass in St. Anne’s Church every Saturday at 6 p.m. On July 26, the annual pilgrimage festival in honor of St. Anne takes place at the pilgrimage site in Sudějov and attracts many visitors. In addition, the revived Svatoanenská pilgrimage is attended by several hundred people every year. Anyone wishing to experience Sudějov on a religious or cultural occasion will therefore find specific dates when the importance of the site becomes visible.

Baroque Church and Artistic Pilgrimage Complex

The Baroque pilgrimage church of St. Anne was built from 1724 onward and consecrated the following year. The pilgrimage complex surrounding the church was completed in 1742 with covered walkways, towers, and chapels. The church itself is a single-nave building with a three-sided, recessed presbytery. The pilgrimage complex also includes a Lourdes grotto with a statue of the Virgin Mary.

The artistic details also reward close attention. The chapels at the pilgrimage site were decorated by the renowned Czech painter Václav Kramolín. The vault of the St. James Chapel bears a painting of the liberation of Vienna from the Turks by Jan Sobieski in 1683. The first chapel is adorned with a painting of the Assumption of Mary, while the third chapel is dedicated to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. A visit thus becomes more than simply viewing a church; it is a sequence of diverse sacred and historical impressions.

Spring, Exhibition, and Landscape

Opposite the church stands the reconstructed Baroque rectory. A small exhibition about the origins and history of this pilgrimage site can be visited there. Another point of interest is the Sudějov spring: In 1843, its water was diverted to a separate, freely accessible chapel on the village square in front of the church. The spring was attributed miraculous properties at an early stage; Sudějov owes its origins and its name to it.

For families with different interests, a stay can thus be divided into cultural and landscape-focused activities. You can explore the chapels and their pictorial themes, visit the exhibition on the history of the village, or take in the character of Sudějov between forests and fields. When looking for accommodation in Sudějov, the pilgrimage site therefore provides a clear point of reference: the key question is whether you mainly want to focus on the church and its history or on the combination of culture and landscape during your stay.

More Destinations to Choose From

If you would like to add more destinations to your travel plans, you can also discover Černíny-Krasoňovice, Okřesaneč, Chotusice, Horky, Kuttenberg, Samopše, Kácov, and Hlízov.

For the higher-level travel overview: Kutná Hora District.