Poutní cesta z Libkovic do Mariánských Radčic Chapel

Welcome to a place where silent history meets the fragility of human destiny. You are standing in the village of Vtelno, near the Church of the Holy Cross, and before your eyes are those four saved chapel that are so important to us today. Even though they may seem to you as part of today's peaceful surroundings, each of them carries the memory of a long forgotten path that once led to a completely different path. Feel this atmosphere, feel the calm that prevails here, and try to imagine that you are walking in the footsteps of hundreds of people who traveled in the same direction several centuries ago, but with a completely different sense of their movement.

This pilgrimage path you now admire was once much longer and more complex than you see today. It was not just an ordinary path between two places, but a Baroque route that had a deep spiritual meaning. It connected the defunct village of Libkovice with a significant pilgrimage goal, which was the church of Our Lady of Pain in Mariánské Radčice. At the time of its creation, in the period between a thousand seven hundred twenty-five and a thousand seven hundred and forty-two, this journey was full of living faith and religious excitement. For the people at that time, it was not just a path from A to B, but a path to spiritual purification, to prayer and to seek a connection with the divine. This whole set of chapels was designed to remind each stop of certain moments that formed a spiritual whole. Originally, these chapels were seven, and each of them was niche, which means that their shape created such a kind of deeper space, a niche that was intended to honor memories. Each of these seven chapels had a role to play, for they represented seven pains of the Virgin Mary, a topic very close to the human heart at that time.

Now pay attention to the very form of these structures. Even though we see only four of the original seven today, their architecture still tells us the story of the Baroque era. Notice their walled walls and the shape that suggests their original destination. They're niche chapels whose construction was designed to create intimate space for prayer. For their overall design and architectural design, Oktavián Broggio, the man who breathed into these buildings order and beauty typical of his epoch. It's important to remember how much work people put into these chapels hundreds of years ago. And although time and change in the landscape were harsh, we managed to preserve these chapel. Did you know that these walls have undergone a thorough renewal in recent history? Between a thousand and nine hundred and eighty-nine and a thousand and nine hundred and ninety, two important academic sculptors named Michael Bílek and Bohumil Zemánek have devoted themselves to their restaurant. Thanks to their professional commitment and attention to detail, we can now perceive these shapes in their almost original beauty and perceive the firmness and finesse that the baroque style combines.

However, the history of this place is not only about stones and building elements, but above all about the people who have connected with it. Besides architect Broggio, there are other names in history that you should remember if you're interested in this place. They're Jeroným Besnecker, Benedikt Littwerig and Prokop Wolf. Although their names may not be known immediately to everyone, they were people who at that time shaped the life and form of this region. Their presence in documents and in the memory of the place reminds us that every chapel, every stone and every journey was the result of human effort, faith and craft.

Now, however, we must stop at what is perhaps the most important and fascinating part of the story. You may be wondering why these chapel are standing right here in Vteln, at the Church of the Holy Cross, and not on its original route, which led to Mariánska Ráčice? Why did most of the original road that once connected Libkovice to the pilgrimage church just disappear? The answer is in the depths of the earth beneath your feet. This area has been significantly affected in the past by coal surface mining. However, this activity, which was necessary for industrial development, had a price. The mining literally rewrote the face of the whole landscape and caused the original route of the pilgrimage to be destroyed irreparably. The original road was destroyed as the country was changing under the strain of mining machinery. But these four chapel you see are survivors. They were saved from total destruction and moved here to continue their existence. They're actually pilgrims who had to leave their home to survive. It is a fascinating but also a bit of a sad mystery how human efforts to acquire raw materials can also threaten the rarest traces of our culture and spiritual heritage.

This monument, which was officially recognized as a cultural monument in a thousand and nine hundred and fifty-eight, serves as a reminder of what we can lose, but also of what we can save. Although the original journey from Libkovic to Mariánské Radčice is only a memory in the books and in these saved chapel, its spirit still works here.

Let us now walk quietly around these chapels. Feel their presence, feel their quiet dignity, and try to connect these four points in spirit with the seven original stops that once formed the whole journey. I wish you that this short journey into the past will enrich you and bring you a moment of peace and reflection. Thank you for your attention and I wish you a pleasant continuation in this beautiful neighborhood.