Olomouc, as a historical one, offers visitors and residents a huge number of stories and insights back into history. It is no different with the historic buildings located in the Haná metropolis. Come with us to see the history of some of them.
Part 27: Church of St. Cyril and Methodius
This church building is located in the Hejčín district of Olomouc. It is a church built in the style of neoclassical modernism. It is characterized by a simple exterior and rich interior decoration. Plans for its construction begin to appear in 1925, when the local church unit approached the architect Ladislav Skřivánek with the task of drafting a new church. However, the addressed architect did not provide a detailed plan or budget, so unity abandoned his design and decided to launch a public tender.
It took place between 1928 and 1929 and was won by the Brno architect and builder Josef Šálek, who then made his own design. The construction of the church began on September 16, 1929, and on September 28 of the same year, Archbishop Prečan consecrated the foundation stone. The construction was completed in 1932 by the builders Jindřich Kylián and Tomáš Šipka, which was consecrated on 5 July.
The statues that belong to the church were created from stone, metal and wood by Julius Pelikán. These are, for example, bronze sculptures of Saints Cyril and Methodius, but also statues on the side altars, statues in the Chapel of the Virgin Mary, or reliefs on the baptistery and pulpit. Jar companies managed the stonework. Semerák and Jan Pavlásek, the organ, which has thirty registers, were supplied by the Rieger brothers from Krnov.
During the Second World War, a total of 9 bells were confiscated, of which only one remained, but it was not until 1994 that new bells with the names of the Holy Trinity, St. Cyril and Methodius and the Virgin Mary.
An interesting place of the church is the main altar, which houses the largest altarpiece in Central Europe. Ten has dimensions of 8.7 to 7.2 meters. The mosaic of the painting depicts the Confiteor prayer, in Czech I Confess and was created according to the design of the academic painter Jan Köhler. The painting includes, among others, the Holy Trinity, the Virgin Mary, St. John the Baptist and the Archangel Michael, as well as Saints Peter and Paul, Saints Cyril and Methodius and the kneeling Archbishop Leopold Prečan. Inside the church there is also a former main altar with a bronze canopy and four side altars, including St. Agnes of Bohemia. There are also a total of three chapels, the Holy Sepulcher, the manger and the chapel of the Virgin Mary.