A 14th-century church that has been abandoned for 50 years is now filled with 'ghosts.' Look inside.

Gabbi ShawOct 30, 2024, 21:35 IST

The ghosts of St. George are eerie.Matej Divizna/Getty Images

In the tiny Czech town of Lukova, there is a church that has stood for hundreds of years.
It was abandoned in 1968, when the roof fell through during a funeral.

In the town of Luková in the Czech Republic sits St. George's Church, but it's not your typical place of worship.

In 2012, an artist installed dozens of statues of ghostlike figures that still haunt the place to this day.

Jakub Hadrava placed his statues there as part of his senior thesis and, in the process, he helped revitalize the once-abandoned church and nearby area. Tourists came from across the world and donated money to help restore the church's crumbling roof — according to its caretaker, by 2018, donations totaled $26,000 — and it has undergone other improvements, such as getting new clock faces on its tower.

The church is still open to visitors on Saturdays from March to October. If you can't make your way to the Czech Republic, here's what it looks like inside St. George.

St. George's church, which was built in the 14th century, sits atop a hill in the Czech village of Luková.

The exterior of St. George's.Petr David Josek/AP

The church was abandoned in 1968 after the roof collapsed during a funeral.

Inside St. George's, a ghost beckons you in.Petr David Josek/AP

It was left to rot until the community decided to try to save it. However, no one could come up with the money.

Outside of St. George's.Matej Divizna/Getty Images

Playing off its haunted history, local artist Jakub Hadrava created 30 life-size "ghosts" to live inside the church.

One of his "ghosts."Matej Divizna/Getty Images

The eerie white figures sit solemnly in the pews.

"My Mind."Petr David Josek/AP

Other figures congregate near the altar and stand at the doorways.

Ghost statues by artist Jakub Hadrava at the St. George's church.Matej Divizna/Getty Images

The statues represent the Sudeten Germans, or German Bohemians, an ethnic group that used to live in the area.

Ghost statues by artist Jakub Hadrava are placed at the St. George's church.Matej Divizna/Getty Images

Visitors from across the world have come to see the ghosts of St. George's church.

French tourists visit the church of St. George.Petr David Josek/AP

Tourists have donated thousands of dollars to help repair the church's roof.

French tourists visit the church of St. George in the village of Lukova, Czech Republic.Petr David Josek/AP

While most visitors are excited to see the ghosts, "we had two or three visitors that refused to enter," said caretaker Petr Koukl.

Ghost statues in St. George's church.Matej Divizna/Getty Images

"They peeked through the door, but didn't enter because they didn't feel well about it," he said.

Ghost statues by artist Jakub Hadrava in the St. George's church.Matej Divizna/Getty Images

Think you're brave enough to meet the ghosts of St. George's?

Ghost statues.Matej Divizna/Getty Images

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