Fara (Horní Pěna) Parish house

Welcome to Upper Foam. You are standing in front of one of the most important and oldest building units in this part of the landscape. Before you go any further, I suggest you stop for a moment, soak up the atmosphere of this place and let your eyes look at the building right in front of you. Feel the calm that exists here, and try to imagine how many generations of people have stood in this place just as you have now. This building is not just a cluster of walls and roofs, it is a living witness to history that carries a print of centuries.

The view of this building will immediately transfer you to other times. Her story is not short and its roots go deep into the past, until the sixteenth century. This was the era when the world around you moved much slower and when the role of the Church in the everyday life of the people was absolutely crucial. This building was originally built as a residence for the Roman Catholic parish. Imagine this place as the spiritual and administrative center of the village, where people came together, where the most important issues of the village were dealt with and where the life rhythm of the entire area was formed. Fara was the heart of the community, home to the people who served here and who were associated with faith and with every resident around.

If you look at the very form of the building now, you will see that its appearance is not uniform, but it is the result of a long process of transformation. Although its beginnings date back to the sixteenth century, what you see today as the main character of this building is associated with much later times. A very important break, which fundamentally changed the face of this place, was the year seventy-two eighteenth century. That's when the first great Baroque reconstruction took place. This moment was the beginning of a series of important modifications and extensions that gave the building its current, richer and more representative appearance. This reconstruction was a sort of new breath that came into the original, probably simpler building, new aesthetics, elegance and sense of grandeur, which is so typical of this style.

Now pay attention to the architecture of the residential building that is right in front of you. Notice the structure. It's not just a simple, unified block, but the building consists of two wings. This twofold structure gives the whole some balance and stability. The building has two floors, which gives it importance and dimensions. Above these wings is a classic saddle roof which is typical of this area and which gives the construction its traditional, solid appearance. The whole of this object is very impressive, and it is clear that it was designed to inspire respect and reflect the importance of the office that was based here.

But when you look away from the living building itself, you will see that the rectory was not just a home for the clergymen, but it was also an important economic unit. The whole area includes a large economic court, which in the past was an inseparable part of life in this place. There is a space around the house that used to provide the needs of the whole parish. You can see the barn and the stables here. Unfortunately, some parts of this area, such as the former stables, are now only in ruins. Even though these parts seem sad and lonely today, they still have the impression of earlier life and work. These ruins remind us of the timeliness of time and how people's needs changed and how the way in which they lived and worked in this place changed.

If you decide to enter the interior of the residential building later, prepare to be welcomed by a wealth of details that are not visible from the outside. The inside of the rectory is a real treasure. On the ground floor and on the first floor you can encounter various vaults, which are a very important architectural element. They are rolled arches with beautiful sections that create a sense of tonnage and nobility. These shapes that hover over your heads are evidence of the mastery of the builders at the time and the effort to ensure that the inner spaces reflect the importance of the place.

Although our records failed to retain the names of the particular architects who designed this building, nor the names of the famous figures who lived here, this confidentiality has its own weight. But instead of names, there is a history of people themselves. Every stone, every arch, and every wall here bears a trail of those who served here, worked and lived. They were people who shaped life in the Upper Foam, even though we don't know their names anymore. But this anonymity allows us to perceive the place as a whole as a link between the past and the present.

There is also one interesting thing that may interest you. It's just the constant transformation this building's been through. Imagine the contrast between the original, probably much simpler, 16th century construction and the subsequent flowering in the eighteenth century. The Baroque reconstruction in seventy-two was like a new breath revived the whole place and changed its character from a simple mansion to a representative building. It is a fascinating example of how architecture adapts to new times and how different centuries and different views of beauty and utility are mixed in one place.

This building is very valuable to all of us. It is because since the year one thousand nine hundred sixty-three this rectory has been officially registered as a cultural monument. This status reminds us that we are looking at something that is worth not only to this community, but to our entire country. It's part of our common heritage, which we have a duty to protect and preserve for those who come after us.

Now I'm just letting you enjoy this view in peace and feel the atmosphere of this place. Look at the yard, look at the details of the building and try to imagine what this place looked like hundreds of years ago when it was full of life, work and spiritual peace. Thank you for choosing to visit this memory and devote your time to its knowledge. We wish you a pleasant further walk through the history of the Upper Foam.