Church of the Holy Trinity – Jiřetín pod Jedlovou

Historical Description of the Building

The construction of the church began in 1587–1590 at the initiative of the then owners of Jiřetín, the Mehls of Strehlitz, and was completed in 1611 under Radslav, Prince of Vchynice. Donors included burghers from nearby towns – Zittau, Görlitz, Kamenice and Löbau – as well as lords Jindřich and Zikmund of Vartenberk, owners of the Česká Kamenice estate. The church was consecrated by the Evangelical pastor Joachim Schönfelder from Dolní Podluží on the feast of the Ascension of the Lord in 1612.

It was originally a single-nave building with a rectangular ground plan and a triangular presbytery oriented to the east. The tower on the north side was added later. The entrance was probably through the north side facade, where there is still a portal inspired by the Saxon Renaissance. This was covered by a vestibule, added during repairs in 1747. In the 19th century, the interior was renovated in the neo-Gothic style. The interior furnishings are mainly Baroque from the 18th century. The altarpieces of the Holy Trinity (1856) and the Resurrection of the Lord (1837) were created by Johann Birnbaum the Elder, a native of Jiřetín.

Intangible Cultural Heritage

Starting in 1700, a lay choir performed at the church, providing musical accompaniment for church services. The choir sang from a raised gallery inside the church, where the organ was usually located.

Points of Interest

About 400 meters southwest of the church lies Křížová hora, featuring the Stations of the Cross and Chapel of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross . This Stations of the Cross is one of 14 in the Šluknov region and consists of 11 Rococo brick chapels featuring relief scenes from the Passion narrative. The complex also includes the Chapel of the Holy Sepulcher and the Garden of Gethsemane.