In the Czech town of Brno, the architect Marek Štěpán, with his studio Atelier Štěpán, designed and built the Church of Beatified Restituta, a church that overturns the canonical idea we have of these sacred buildings, adapting the structure and design to today’s needs.

In past centuries, the interior of the churches was decorated and filled with all kinds of sacred images. The religious people who went to these places were often illiterate, which is why the classical churches have frescoes and statues that tell Bible passages, impossible for many to read.

Today, however, we live in a time when we are bombarded with images, which is why the Atelier Štěpán decided to create a huge empty space where we can free ourselves from the external influences that fill every second of our lives.

Inside the Church of Beatified Restituta, there are no frescoes, statues, or images. The faithful are invited to sit on the benches that follow the circular walls and contemplate the void that has been deliberately left in the center.

In order not to let the space become too dark, the architect decided to insert stained glass windows at the base of the dome. Through them, sunlight is reflected on the walls and ceiling of the church, creating a play of multicolored beams that change according to the time and therefore the position of the sun.

With the Church of Beatified Restituta, the Atelier Štěpán completely revisits the traditional concept of a church, offering a place where you can isolate yourself from the outside and find yourself.