Church of St Blaise

The Church of St Blaise near Branišov is the ruin of a Baroque pilgrimage church in a quiet place by Blažejský Pond. It lies outside continuous settlement, roughly northeast of Branišov, and belongs to those heritage sites whose main value is the atmosphere of the landscape, the silence and the still-readable traces of a former pilgrimage tradition.

The present Baroque church was built in 1732-1733 by Raimund III, abbot of Teplá, on the site of an older medieval church linked to the vanished settlement of Janov or Janovec. It was consecrated in 1734 and became a popular pilgrimage place. Pilgrimages were not held directly on St Blaise's February feast day but in summer, when unusually large numbers of pilgrims and traders came here.

After the Second World War the building gradually fell into disrepair. The decisive break came in 1957, when the church burned after being struck by lightning. Since then it has remained a roofless ruin, with preserved perimeter walls, fragments of Baroque articulation and traces of the original architecture. It has been protected as a cultural monument since 1999, and stabilisation and conservation work has been under way since 2007.

What you'll see

The site stands on a grassy area close to the pond shore. The surviving walls suggest the ground plan of the nave and presbytery, while the masonry still shows remnants of windows, portals and facade details. The landscape setting is part of the experience: trees, meadows and pastures surround the church, Blažejský Pond lies to the west, and access is by a field track.

The Church of St Blaise works well as a stop while wandering around the Toužim area and the Teplá Highlands. It is not a monument with a ticket office and exhibition, but rather a sensitive place for a short pause, photography, taking in the landscape and remembering vanished pilgrimage traditions.

Practical information

The exterior is freely accessible, but this is a ruin and a protected monument, so respect the condition of the structure and do not climb on the masonry. Expect a field track and terrain that can be soft after rain.

Directions and contacts

• More information: Church of St Blaise
• Location: by Blažejský Pond, Branišov, 364 01 Toužim
• GPS: 49.997231, 13.018204
• Access: from the road between Nežichov and Branišov, follow the field track towards the pond