kostel svatého Mikuláše (Šumvald) Church

Welcome to this noble place that dominates the whole area. You're standing in front of St. Nicholas' church in Šumvald. Before you take another step, stop for a moment and feel the atmosphere. Look at the total silhouette of this building, as it rises to the sky and by its presence determines the character of the whole place. It is a building that carries the walls of time and witnessed countless events that took place in this region. Feel the weight of history that only affects you when you look at this object from the outside.

Now let's look deeper into the past together to understand how this important object came into being. This building is not just a cluster of stones, but a living story that he began to write in the second half of the 13th century. If we were to try to pinpoint the beginning, we could look at a thousand two hundred seventy. This is probably the moment when the main ship of the church and its presbytery began to emerge. Imagine the first builders who laid the first stones here 700 years ago. Even though today we do not know the names of the particular architects or personalities who controlled this building in its beginnings, their work here remains as an unwavering proof of their art and faith. This church has undergone many changes, but its core remains loyal to its roots.

Now pay attention to the architecture itself, which you are now observing. The church is a one-legged Gothic building, which means that its inner space is made up of one main ship, which creates a sense of unity and tonnage. Now that you're looking at the whole, you can see the specific face of early Gothic. One of the most valuable elements we have managed to preserve is the authentic Gothic vault in the presbytery. Although you are now out, this vault represents one of the most important documents of architecture of the time in our territory.

Look up now, the characteristic tower, which is such a typical element of this church. But it was not here from the very beginning. It was built only much later, in the seventeenth century, and gave a whole of its contemporary, dominant appearance. It's fascinating to see centuries intertwine into one whole. And if your eyes move towards the south, notice the chapel there. It's the chapel of St. Anthony of Padua. This part of the building is considered the ultimate work of Gothic style and represents the incredible quality of the craft at the time.

If we continue to browse, we must also mention other important milestones that shaped this object. In 15 hundred and six there was an event that gave the church his voice. The bell was cast at the time, which is located in the tower and which sounds for the surrounding area today. Imagine the sound that has spread through the air and has been signaling important moments in people's lives for centuries. The next big change came in a thousand seven hundred and eighty. That's when the church went through a massive reconstruction. In this modification, the windows were changed and the interior space changed overall, thus adapting the construction to the new times and needs of the time.

Now I want to tell you one strange thing, one little mystery that's hidden right in the foundation of that tower you're looking at. You may not see it at first sight, but the existence of this detail gives the place special depth. The foundation of the prism tower, which was built at the end of the seventeenth century, is not just made up of any stone. They were built from stones left over from the broken wall. It's like history is recycling if parts of the old world become the basis for something new and higher. These stones, which once formed defense, now form the basis for a tower that heads towards the sky.

You are standing in front of a place where the medieval fortress is joined with later modifications, where the old walls are turned into the foundation of towers and where the sound of the bell from the year fifteen hundred and six still links the past to the present. Every stone here has its own time and every year, which has passed since the year one thousand two hundred seventy, added to the church of St. Nicholas on its importance.

I hope you're interested in this brief view of history and that you perceive the beauty that this Gothic building brings to the landscape. Before you go any further, pay close attention to the details you see around you. Look at the structure of the walls, see the shadows and light as it hits this historic monument. I wish you a nice walk and other interesting discoveries in this beautiful neighborhood. Goodbye.