zvonice v Bukovici Belfry

Welcome to Bukovice. Right now, you're standing right in front of one of the most important buildings in this place, which will immediately consume you with its silent training of history and wooden presence. In front of your eyes is a bell tower that is much more than just a simple wooden tower. He is a witness for many years who carries the stories of the people who lived here, who worked here and who tried to protect and unite their community. Before we take a deeper look, just look at her as a whole for a moment. Feel the harmony between the natural material and the solid foundation that keeps this building in the ground.

Now let's look together at exactly what you see. Your eyes will probably end up on a solid footing first. The bell tower is not built directly on the ground, but it stands on solid stone foundations that give it the necessary stability and protect the wood from moisture. Above these stones is the body of the building itself. It's a prism structure, which means it's a clear, regular square shape. If you get closer, you'll notice that this structure is framed and is boarded by boards. This wooden garment forms the protective mantle of the entire tower.

Now, look even higher where the building touches the sky. A tent roof is spread over the prism's body. Its shape resembles a tent with a tip pointing towards the sky. At the top of this roof there is a very interesting element - lantern. It is not just for decoration, but it gives the whole construction its unmistakable character. Lucerna is finished with shapes that are typical of our folk architecture. There you will see an onion shape, so-called onion, which is crowned with a poppy and on its very top, the cross is held. This cross acts as a link between the earthly world and the celestial. If you look towards the west side, you will see an entrance that is used to access the interior of this building. This whole building is today protected as an important cultural monument to our country, which tells us how valuable this piece of history is to us.

To understand why this building is even standing here, we have to go back in time. Even though history seems to us to be constant, this bell tower you see dates back to the late nineteenth century. At the time, the whole area and villages were trying to improve and modernise life. The bell tower was not built just to be nice, but had a very practical and important purpose. It was part of the fire drill. At a time when most of the buildings were wooden, the sound of the bell was the fastest way to warn the whole neighborhood of the danger of fire. The sound of the bell was the voice of a village that could wake up every man in one moment.

And although this particular wooden structure stands at the end of the nineteenth century, the history of ringing in this area is much older. Even in 1797 there was a different, older bell, which was part of local life long before this prism shape was built. This shows us how deep the roots of tradition are in this region.

However, history is not always about building and growth. Sometimes there comes a time when things get worse. One of the darkest moments for this bell tower was 1942. During World War II, there was an event that hit the very heart of this place. The bell equipment, the bell itself, has been removed. At that time these objects were often taken as valuable metal for the purposes of war, and so the bell tower remained without its voice. Imagine that quiet village that lost its most important signal.

The war was followed by a period when the construction was not as concerned as it deserved. The bell tower faced abandonment and gradual decay. But people realized her values. In 1988, an important repair and maintenance of the whole building was carried out. Thanks to their decision to save her, we can watch her in her beauty today. And in order for the village's voice to return definitively, something very joyous happened in 1995. A new bell was hung in the bell tower. This new piece was carefully packed in the well-known Dytrych Bell Workshop, which gives the whole place another level of quality and craft art.

You might find it interesting how things get back to normal. Even though the old bell was removed and the building was almost forgotten, thanks to human efforts and repairs, we are looking again at the construction that is performing its function and which is an important part of the landscape. It's a story about the resistance of wood, stone and human will.

Now that you know the story of this place, I suggest you stop for a while and feel the atmosphere in silence. Look at the boards, the stones, and the cross in heaven. Every detail you see is the result of the work of the people who were here before you. However, we do not delay you after this visit. Continue your journey, explore the surrounding countryside and enjoy the peace this place offers you. Thank you for joining us on this short journey through time. Goodbye.