Abstract
Centrally-planned churches, particularly rotundas, formed a significant part of the first church architecture in Bohemia and the process of their building documents how the territory was Christianized during the early years of the Bohemian Přemyslid state. Because of this, art historians and archaeologists have been attempting to determine the age, function, and the origin of the architectonic traditions of early medieval rotundas in Bohemia, looking for inspiration mostly in the Frankish Empire, Italy, or the Istrian-Adriatic region.
The development of scientific debate on this issue shows that questions about the origin of the architectonic tradition of the oldest churches are very politically sensitive and the answers to them reflect the contemporary social and political climate.