It has borne witness to steadfast faith and changing times

The Church of St. Anthony the Great is the oldest stone building to have been preserved in Liberec and lives up to its name, as its tower, which rises to a height of 70.5 metres, trumps the neighbouring town hall tower to make it the tallest tower in the city. Originally, a wooden church used to stand on this site; the master mason Georg Leypold began work on the brick church we see today in 1579. After some time, he was succeeded by another builder - Marcus Antonio Spazio, who completed the edifice in 1587. The appearance of the church was also significantly changed by planned reconstruction works. It underwent the greatest transformation in 1880-1883, when the original low dome of the tower was replaced by an elongated spire, which raised the height of the church from the previous 37 metres to more than 70 metres.

Church interior

The nave of the church is lit by three massive chandeliers. The clean interior is decorated with stained-glass windows featuring motifs of saints, and has a main and side altar, a pulpit and a choir with an organ, which is one of the largest in northern Bohemia. The church pews were crafted by a Ruprechtian carpenter. The ten-metre main altar is dedicated to the church’s patron - Anthony the Great - decorated with an almost life-size statue of the saint.

Patron - St. Anthony the Great

At the end of this tale, it is also fitting to mention the patron of the church, St. Anthony the Great. He lived in the 4th century A.D. and is known as the Father of All Monks. Although he chose to live a life of solitude, many people came to him seeking advice, and Anthony also helped persecuted Christians.