kaple svatého Simeona Stylity Niche chapel

Welcome to a place where time seems to be marked by another rhythm, rhythm of peace and spiritual search. You are standing in front of the chapel of St. Simeon Stylity, which stands on the top of the village Čihadla. Look around you and feel the atmosphere of this place. This Baroque sacral building is not only a simple stone piece, but a silent witness to the ancient era, which sought to connect earthly life and celestial peace. Feel this space, feel the silence that rules here, and let yourself be carried away by the feeling that you have entered the space to rest for the soul.

In order to fully understand the importance of this construction, we must now go back in time together and understand why it is standing here in the first place. The whole story of this place is closely linked to the character of Count František Antonín Špork. He was a man of great ambition, but also a man who deeply appreciated art and spiritual depth. In 1715, Špork acquired these lands on the Ptačí hornice from Arnošt Jaroslav Stütz. But that was only the beginning. Between 1716 and 1717 this Baroque chapel was born thanks to his will. But it was not only the chapel that he intended to build. His great intention was to create an entire complex that was named Bon Repos, which means a good rest in translation. This complex, which was fully developed around 1720, included not only this chapel, but also an eremite and a castle. The whole intention was clear: to create a place for meditation, a place for spiritual refuge, where nobles and seeking peace could escape all the everyday worries of the world.

Now pay attention to the architecture of the chapel itself, which is right before your eyes. Although the name of a particular architect who invented this design remains unknown in history, the Baroque style is evident in every meticulous detail. If you look at the structure itself, notice its square ground plan. This geometric balance gives the chapel a sense of stability and strength. Now look closer to the walls. You'll see the pillairs on them, so these flat pillar elements that rhythmically divide the walls and give them nobility. Focus on their peaks, so-called Ionian warheads. They're very elegant and make you feel classical harmony. And now look even more closely - these warheads are decorated with heads of lions. These lions are not just decorations; their presence gives the architecture some strength and majesty, which in contrast to the silent purpose of meditation creates a fascinating whole.

So who is the patron saint of this place and why is this name so important? The chapel is dedicated to St. Simeon Stylite the Elder. This figure carries us far into the past, to the territory of today's Syria. Simeon was an ascetic saint, a man who sought the highest degree of separation from the world and connection with God. His name, Stylita, refers to his unusual way of life - he lived on a high pillar to be closer to the heavens and separated from the human rush. This idea of deep separation and the search for inner peace has become a cornerstone for the whole purpose of Count Šporka. When you stand here in this quiet area, you can feel the invisible connection between the ancient ascetic tradition and the baroque quest for spiritual refuge.

We also have some interesting things to help you understand the secrets and ambiguities of this place. Do you know that in the past, this chapel was sometimes mistaken for St. Jerome's chapel? History sometimes makes these little mistakes, but now we know this place belongs to Simeon. And now I want to invite you to think of something that would be absolutely astonishing in the eighteenth century. At the top of the chapel there was once a moving figure of the saint Simeon Stylite older. It wasn't just a static statue. Thanks to the mechanism that was controlled by pulling the rope, the figure of the saint could be moved. Imagine the astonishment of the visitors when they saw the saint move on top of the chapel. Another mystery is the fate of some of the works of art that were here. We know that there were statues of angels from the famous master Matthias Bernard Braun and also stone skulls in the premises. Their exact location and how they were later relocated remains in the fog of time and gives this place a hint of mystery.

Now that you have learned the basics of this place, its history and its little mysteries, we recommend you continue your tour of the premises. Let yourself be carried away by the atmosphere of this Good Rest and enjoy the peace this landscape and this historical monument offers. Thank you for your journey together and we will wait you out on your next visit.