Basilica minor of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary

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Olomouc

Barrier-free destination

The Basilica on St. Hill is an unmissable dominant and the pride of Olomouc. The Church of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary on Svatý Kopeček has been the destination of thousands of pilgrims for centuries and even today it is one of the most famous and most visited pilgrimage sites in the Czech Republic.

History and architecture of the temple

The temple was built by the Premonstratensians in the 17th and 18th centuries on the site of a chapel destroyed by the Swedes. The orientation of the temple is unique, as the main axis does not run from east to west, but the temple faces the mother monastery Hradisko. The priest who blessed the faithful from the altar is said to have blessed the monastery as well when the doors were open. It is a Baroque church with a two-tower front. The church building is flanked by side wings with attics bearing statues of the twelve apostles and two saints - St Sebastian and St Roch. Behind the church there is an ambulatory and a chapel of the Virgin Mary. The single-nave interior of the church is arched in the central part by a massive dome.

Many local and foreign artists participated in the interior decoration of the nave. Jan Kryštof Handke painted the pendentives of the dome with allegories of the four continents. In the Chapel of St. Augustine there is an altarpiece by J. K. Handke, which is considered one of the finest works of the painter.

Today the fame of the pilgrimage site has been restored and unforgettable pilgrimages, services and church concerts are held here every year. In 1995, Pope John Paul II elevated the church to the status of Basilica Minor.

New sightseeing tours

This important pilgrimage site is undergoing a long-term reconstruction, the second phase of which was completed in 2021. Thanks to the reconstruction, this Baroque jewel is now in perfect condition and the previously closed areas are now open to visitors .A new feature is a guided tour that takes visitors to the choir, which offers a unique view of the cathedral, and also takes them through the previously inaccessible representative halls.Visitors can also visit the St. Peter's Museum, which displays monstrances, reliquaries, and mass vestments, and there will also be an exhibition of pilgrimage. The museum tour has twenty stops with descriptions and QR codes, with the first stop located outside the basilica.

Tips for families with children

Don't miss a visit to the nearby Olomouc Zoo.

If you want to enjoy the amazing surrounding nature, you can take the Svatý Kopeček nature trail for example. You can find more information about interesting places in the area and tips for trips in the descriptions of Olomouc and Údolí Bystřice.