Belfry

Treasure house of Roman-Catholic Parish in Kolín

The room on the elevated ground-floor of St. Bartholomew´s belfry has served its purpose of storing valuables probably since its foundation at the beginning of 16th century. Nowadays a part of church treasure of Roman-Catholic church of Kolín is displayed in this area. It includes a collection of valuable historic objects and vessels from gilded silver used either for masses (liturgy) or cult (devotio).

The core is formed by objects from the treasure house of St. Bartholomew´s church in Kolín. A numerous collection of these objects from 17th-20th century has been preserved, however, the amount is just a fragment of past dazzling beauty which served for celebration of God as well as for expression of personal piousness and gratefulness of many generations of Kolín citizens. 

Even though the treasure of St. Bartholomew´s Church was collected from 13th century, it repeatedly became a goal of war plundering, religious reform movements and changes of the style of that time.   So we get records about its oldest jewels from Gothic and Renaissance period only from written sources. Nowadays, its base is formed especially by Baroque and Classicist monuments. However, even those were in danger as the church silver had to be handed over to the Austrian empire. During the economic crisis in 1810 a lot of valuable pieces of arts and crafts were destroyed with the purpose of gaining valuable metal for state needs. 

Currently, also sacred vessels used in other churches within Kolín parish area form a part of the treasure house. It concerns for example liturgical tools formerly used in St. Bartholomew´s Church in Býchory, The Church of the Assumption in Kbel, The Church of St. Venceslaus and Corpus Cristi in Křečhoř, The Church of St. George in Lošany, The Church of St. Peter and Paul in Nebovidy, The Church of St. Venceslaus in Nová Ves, The Church of St. James the Great in Ovčáry, The Church of the Assumption in Předhradí, The Church of St. Andrew in Starý Kolín or The Church of the Visitation of Our Lady in Veltruby.

01 Reliquary of St. John of Nepomuk from St. Bartholomew´s Church in Kolín

Half of 18th century

02 Reliquary of St. Cross from St. Batrholomew´s Church in Kolín

Half of 18th century

03 Monstrance from The Church of St. Venceslaus and Corpus Cristi in Křečhoř

Half of 19th century

04 Cruets

End of 19th century

05 Monstrance

Half of 19th century 

06 Monstrance from The Church of the Assumption in Předhradí

End of 18th century

07 Monstrance from The Church of St. Venceslaus in Nová Ves 

Half of 18th century

08 Monstrance

End of 19th century

09 Chalice of Baron Franz Trenck

Controversial military commander and adventurer Franz, free man von der Trenck († 1749) had the Rococo chalice made in Old Town in Prague. The chalice was made as thanks for healing the injury of his left leg caused by a cannon shot. He was shot on 14 November 1744 in Kolín during the conquering the town occupied by the Prussian army. 

1744

10 Chalice of Martin Pezzorides from St. Batholomew´s Church in Kolín

1690

11 Chalice from St. Bartholomew´s Church in Býchory

Around the year 1900

12 Chalice

1895 

13 Ciborium from The Church of the Assumption in Kbel

End of 18th century

14 Missal from St. Bartholomew´s Church in Kolín

1735, the binding from second quarter of 18th century

15 Chalice of Anna Ašulínová (Vašulínová?) from The Church of the Immaculate Conception of Virgin Mary in Jezeřany 

16 Ciborium (originally a chalice) from The Church of St.Venceslaus and Corpus Cristi in Křečhoř

17 Ciborium from St. Bartholomew´s Church in Kolín

Half of 18th century 

18 Candlestick of guild of butchers from St. Bartholomew´s Church in Kolín

Half of 18th century

19 Chalice from The Church of St.James the Great in Ovčáry

1524

20 Chalice from The Church of St. George in Lošany

Half of 16th century

21 Chalices of František Bohuslav Šperlink from Kolín parish

Collection of four Baroque chalices was made for the needs of Kolín parish from the legacy of the primate and wealthy townsman František Bohuslav Šperlink († 1722) buried in Šperlinkovská chapel of St.Bartholomew´s Church. 

1722

22 Chalice of Judita Prošovská from The Church of St. Vitus in Kolín

1718 

23 Archiepiscopal chalice from St. Bartholomew´s Church in Kolín

Around the year 1690

24 Ciborium from St. Bartholomew´s Church in Kolín

1797, modified in first quarter of 20th century

25 Chalice from Capuchin Church of the Holy Trinity in Kolín

1832 

26 Big monstrance from St. Bartholomew´s Church in Kolín

1756

27 Monstrance from The Church of St. George in Lošany

Around the year 1700, completed in half of 18th century

28 Monstrance

Half of 18th century 

29 Monstrance from The Church of St. Andrew in Starý Kolín

Half of 18th century 

Lapidarium

The Lapidarium including historic and architectonic parts from St.Bartholomew´s Church and other buildings in the church grounds was created in the vault of the belfry in 2020. The Lapidarium presents mainly original gothic architectonic parts which were changed during the church reconstruction in the second half of 19th century and then freely displayed in the area of neighbouring wall outer bailey. Some features were later installed into the support walls near the city walls where they can be found today. Other medieval fragments were found in 2004-2020 during the reconstruction of the church and its adjacent buildings.

The most significant stone feature is the collection of early-gothic capitals of vault support from the second half of 13th century and a part of  pinnacle from the supportive system of late-gothic choir-loft from the second half of 14th century. The unique features are the fragments of the original stone decoration of Parléř´s pastoforium (a case for depositing and displaying The Blesses Sacrament) from about 1370.