Church of st. Catherine of Alexandria

1906 – 1907

Construction of the Church of St. Catherine of Alexandria in Milovice. The church tower is still without a clock in the picture.

As a replacement for the closed parish complex in Mladá, the Imperial and Royal Ministry of War built a new church, rectory and cemetery in Milovice. The church was consecrated on November 25^th, 1907, on the feast day of St. Catherine of Alexandria, who was also the patron saint of the original church. Father Stanislav Kovář remained the spiritual administrator of the parish.

Side view of the Church of St. Catherine of Alexandria.

The Church of St. Catherine was built in a sober neo-Gothic style from white brick. The nave is simple, with a flat wooden ceiling. The presbytery is vaulted with a cross vault. In direct contrast to the neo-Gothic austerity of the interior is the Baroque furniture transferred from the demolished church in Mladá. These include mainly altars, carved benches and a confessional.

A postcard of Milovice from the year 1914

Among the oldest monuments of the Church of St. Catherine are two historical bells. The larger one, weighing 290 kg, is located in the tower. This bell from 1552 was made by the bell-maker Peter of Mladá Boleslav. A smaller bell, weighing 26 kg, from the second half of the 17th century, is hung in the sanctus tower.

Did you know that…? Since the Middle Ages, churches have been built with the presbytery facing east, where the Holy Land was symbolically located. This determines whether the church is oriented (from the Latin oriens – east). The Church of St. Catherine in Milovice is not oriented, as its presbytery faces northwest.