The Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Nova Rača, located in the municipality of Nova Rača, is one of the oldest and most significant religious monuments in Bjelovar-Bilogora County. It was built by the Templars in 1312, and the church retains elements of the Gothic sacristy from that era. Due to its rich archaeological history, the area of the church was declared a cultural monument of the first category, and research has revealed the remains of at least ten earlier buildings on the site of the present church.
The church also contains visible Gothic remains from the pre-Turkish period, with loopholes that can be seen on the tower and turret, and a baroque bell tower. The parish, founded at the beginning of the 14th century, was first mentioned in 1334 and again in 1501. After the renovation in 1782, the church was consecrated in 1805 by the Zagreb bishop Maksimilijan Vrhovac.
A special part of the church’s inventory is the baroque organ from 1753, which is among the most important organ works in Croatia. This mechanical system organ contains 11 registers and wooden abstracts.
After the establishment of the Bjelovar-Križevci Diocese, the church became the diocesan Marian shrine, and the feasts of the Assumption and the Nativity of Mary gather many worshipers. The feast of the Assumption is especially important, which is celebrated as Nova Rača Municipality Day, with a rich religious and cultural program.
Unfortunately, during the Petrinja earthquake in 2020, the church suffered significant damage, especially to the tower and the arches under the choir. Because of this, it was out of use for a while until it was renovated and reopened for religious services.