Kaplanka Chapel

Welcome to the heart of Krumlov's inner city, a place where history touches every stone and where time flows slower. Right now, you're facing one of the most important and delicate buildings in the city. In front of you is a building known as Kaplanka. It's a place that may seem modest at first glance, but if you look at it more carefully, it will reveal the story of great changes in thinking, art and architecture that took place here hundreds of years ago. Feel the atmosphere of this narrow alley, listen to the silence of the surroundings and allow me to guide you through the mystery of this house.

Let's stop at what you see right in front of you first. Kaplanka is not just an ordinary building, it is a unique example of what experts call a religious administrative architecture. This means that the building was not only for prayer, but also for administration and spiritual life. You are standing in Upper Street, north of St. Vitus' church, and this is the location that determined her fate. If you look at the general appearance now, you'll see a fascinating connection between two big epoch. It is a place where late goth meets, which is full of nobility and ascendancy to heaven, with an early Renaissance that has brought a new perspective on man, harmony and influences from far-off Italy.

Stop now at the west facade, which is the richest part of the building. Look up and note the details left by the creators. Your attention should not escape the corner bay, the protruding element that gives the facade depth and dynamics. Also, follow the carved window lining, which is precisely worked and gives the building its characteristic character. Now look up to the very top. See that tiered shield? It is supplemented by atics and cimmuria, which are elements that provide the building with a chateau, fortified appearance, while decorating it. These details are key to understanding how representative buildings were built at the time.

Now I want to invite you to move slowly and try to perceive the building from different angles. If you move to the north facade, you will notice one significant difference. While the west side is full of ornaments and details, the north side is much more sparse, lacks decoration and seems calmer. It's an interesting contrast that shows us how architects thought about priorities at the time. Not every wall had to be representative, the important thing was for the building to perform its function while celebrating its dignity where it was most visible. And if you look at the south side now, you'll see a Renaissance portal that ends with a half circle. This element is typical of a new era that has come to our countries and brought with it a desire for balance and purity of lines.

To understand why Kaplanka looks just like this, we have to go back in time by more than 500 years. There was extensive reconstruction between 1513 and 1520. The building was converted into a chapel of St. Paul and at the same time the residential parts were connected to it. Imagine the excitement at the time, the sound of stonework and the smell of fresh carpentry wood. In 1518, something fundamental happened that defined the building for centuries to come. The gift contract was transferred to direct possession of the Krumlov chaplain. Since then, the life of the clergy has been concentrated here, who not only served but also lived here.

With this place are the names of personalities we may not know from textbooks today, but their influence on the shape of the city was huge. These included Václav z Rovného or Hans Getzinger. Although we do not know the exact names of architects who drew specific plans, we know that these people and their surroundings influenced the aesthetics and direction that Krumlov was developing. They were people who understood new trends and were not afraid to carry them from southern Europe to the heart of our forests and mountains.

And now we come to the part that may interest you the most. Kaplanka contains a certain mystery and fascinating story about oblivion and rebirth. Did you know that the building you see today looked completely different a century ago? In 1923, the original tiered shields were removed. For some reason, it seemed that these elements were not desirable or in poor condition, so the building lost its most distinctive crown. Imagine the loss of identity where the building loses its distinctive outline. But history likes justice. In 1958, Kaplanka was officially included in the list of cultural monuments, which was a recognition of its unprecedented value. And in 1980, the original architectural solution was finally restored. Shields have been returned to their place, and the building has regained its true face, which you can admire right now.

The interesting thing that makes Kaplan a real one is its connection to Italy. The exterior of the building significantly reflects the effects of the early Florentine Renaissance. Florence was the center of the world at the time, the cradle of new thinking and art. The fact that these elements appeared here, in Český Krumlov, is fascinating. Some experts even claim that Kaplanka is the first real Renaissance building in all the Czech countries. Imagine, you're standing in front of a construction that could be the first messenger of a new era, the first sign that ancient ideals of beauty and harmony return to our regions. It is basically stone proof of the openness of the owners at the time and their desire for modernity and education.

In later years, specifically between 2000 and 2008, the building opened up to the public in a new role. The Kaplanka Gallery operated in its premises, which connected this historic site with modern art. Although the function of the buildings changes, its walls remember everything, from chaplain prayers to silent footsteps of visitors from all over the world.

Now, if you look at this building for the last time, try to imagine how many generations of people have passed it. How many times did the light go out in her windows and how many times did they greet each other in her portal? Kaplanka is a silent witness to transformations, a symbol of endurance and beauty that can survive even a period of oblivion. It is a small piece of Florence in the heart of South Bohemia, which reminds us that art and architecture have no limits.

Thank you for stopping by this special place. I hope this short trip to history has helped you see Kaplan in a new light. Now I encourage you to look around in peace, perhaps once again look at the fine details in the carved stone and then continue to explore other hidden corners of the inner city. Every other alley will probably bring you a new story. I wish you a pleasant continued journey and many new discoveries in this magical city. Goodbye.