Visited:20. 6. 2021
History:This interesting Gothic church is a little unique in its own right. It was probably founded in the mid-14th century and built in the Gothic style without a tower. Because of the Hussite wars, this church was fortified. We do not know exactly when this happened, we only know that it was around the time when Benes and his son Jan of Weitmíle held this estate. That is, sometime between 1468 and 1560. The church was rebuilt in the Gothic style at this time and was fortified as part of this rebuilding, when it acquired a moat and a rampart. The late Gothic bell tower, which is still preserved today, was added to the church at this time and is leaning due to its position on loess soil. The first written mention of this church dates back to 1483, when it is mentioned as a branch of the Chomutov deanery. From the middle of the 17th century until 1620 we learn that this church was a Protestant church and that the parish priest had a rectory located on the island. We also learn from surviving accounts that this church was modified several times during the 16th-19th centuries. Even so, it still retains its original appearance, more or less. The most difficult period for this church came after the expulsion of the German population at the end of World War II. After the expulsion, the church ceased to be maintained and gradually fell into disrepair. The interior furnishings were either stolen or destroyed. The only thing that survived from the original furnishings was the Renaissance baptismal font, which was moved to the St. Wenceslas Church in Vysočany. Already in the 1980s this church was in such a desolate state that its demolition was considered. At this time, the Gothic entrance portal decorated with lilies was also torn out and taken to the archives in Kadan. Fortunately, the demolition did not take place, despite the fact that the roof collapsed in 1989. Miraculously, the roof was made new in 1991 and in 2010 the church passed to the administration of the municipality, which started a huge rescue reconstruction that was completed in December 2014. And why is this Gothic church so unique? Well, that can be answered with a question. How many village fortified churches do you know with a moat and rampart still preserved?
Source:https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kostel_svat%C3%A9ho_Bartolom%C4%9Bje_(Spo%C5%99ice)
Source:https://www.pamatkovykatalog.cz/kostel-sv-bartolomeje-2154659
Source:https://www.hrady.cz/kostel-sv-bartolomeje-sporice/
Source:https://www.obecsporice.cz/obec/historie/
Impressions:A beautiful and unique Gothic church.
