Church of St. James

About

Church of St. James in Brno is one of the city’s finest Gothic landmarks, known not only for its soaring architecture but also for a few unusual stories. One striking fact is that the church’s north façade features a small stone figure—the Brno “manneken pis”—carved by a medieval stonemason supposedly in revenge after losing a commission. Its mischievous pose has made it a local legend. Inside, the church impresses with a tall, slender nave typical of late Gothic style, filled with elegant ribbed vaults and finely carved details. The main attraction is the monumental Renaissance tomb of the nobleman Václav of Ludanice, considered one of the most beautiful funerary monuments in Moravia. The richly decorated pulpit and Baroque side altars add layers of later artistic styles without disturbing the Gothic harmony. The church is also connected to the famous Ossuary of St. James, discovered beneath the square and now one of Europe’s largest bone repositories, though accessed separately. Together, they form a compelling picture of Brno’s spiritual and social history.

Brno Czech Republic

Location

The Church of St. James (Kostel sv. Jakuba) is a striking late Gothic church on St. James’ Square (Jakubské náměstí) in the heart of Brno’s historic centre, just steps from Freedom Square (náměstí Svobody). First mentioned in 1228, it began as a Romanesque building but was replaced by a three‑aisled Gothic church, with construction interrupted by a fire in 1515 and completed in 1592; its interior was later Baroque‑modified and then restored to its Gothic look in the 1870s. The Church of St. James is one of the country’s most valuable late Gothic buildings and a Gothic National Cultural Monument. Nearby, you can easily walk to Freedom Square, Brno’s main square, and the historic Zelný trh (Vegetable Market) with its Parnas Fountain and street theatre. The Old Town Hall, with its dragon legend and 63‑metre tower, sits just a short distance away, as does the Labyrinth under the Vegetable Market, an almost one‑kilometre network of historic cellars. The Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul on Petrov Hill, the Brno Ossuary, and the 10‑Z nuclear bunker are all within a few minutes’ walk, making the Church of St. James a natural hub for a compact walking tour of Brno’s most important historic and religious sites.