Festival Venue

• Běšiny ~ Church of the Virgin Mary Visitation
• Blovice ~ St. John Evangelist Church
• Bodenmais (D) ~ The Church of Virgin Mary Assumption
• Bor u Tachova ~ St. Nicholas Church
• Dešenice ~ St. Nicholas Church
• Hamry ~ Church of the Virgin Mary in Pain
• Chlistov ~ Church of the Holy Cross Elevation
• Janovice nad Úhlavou ~ Church of St John the Baptist
• Kdyně ~ The Former Jewish Synagogue
• Klatovy ~ The Virgin Mary´s Archdean Temple
• Klatovy ~ The Church of the Virgin Mary´s Immaculate Conception and St. Ignatius
• Klenčí pod Čerchovem ~ St. Martin´s Church
• Klenová ~ St. Felix Chapel
• Koloveč ~ The Virgin Mary Annunciation Church
• Plzeň ~ St. John Nepomuk Church
• Praha Vršovice ~ St. Wenzel´s Church
• Regen ~ St. Michael´s Church
• Teplá ~ The Virgin Mary Annunciation Church
• Těchonice ~ St. Philipp & Jacob Church
• Týnec ~ The Chateau Oval Hall
• Zwiesel (D) ~ St. Nicholas Church
• Žinkovy ~ St. Wenzel´s Church

Up BackChurch of the Virgin Mary Visitation

Běšiny

The originally chateau chapel was built by J.Wohrden in 1654. It was later rebuilt into the single-naved parish church. There is a tower with an onion-shaped cupola. at the west side of the presbytery. At the church wall there is also a tombstone taken here from the near St.Bartolomew´s church in 1845. The church organ comes from the former St.John Nepomuk capel in Obora near Týnec.

link

Up BackSt. John Evangelist Church

Blovice

The little town Blovice was founded in 1284 by monks from a nearby Cistercian Monastery in Zelena hora close to Nepomuk. The single-naved St. John Evangelist church was already mentioned in the second half of the 14th century. The current state was given to it by the Kolowrats from Krakow in the second half of the 18th century. There are six statues representing Czech saint-patrons made by E.A.Max on the front facade. Interior is equipped in Rococo and Classicism style originated from the days of building the church: a monumental main altar with a picture of the titular saint, aisle altars of St.Joseph and the Virgin Mary etc. The organ case in the organ loft also contains beautiful sculpture embellishment. By the church there is an Empire style chapel built in the first half of the 19th century.

Up BackThe Church of Virgin Mary Assumption

Bodenmais

In 1705, the Munich elector Max II. Emanuel of Bavaria (1679-1726), a big admirer of the Virgin Mary of Loreta, presented a wooden statue of Virgin Mary to inhabitants of a mining town Bodenmais. Since that time innumerable crowds of people have visited the statue to worship the Virgin Mary and ask her for help with all their worries, difficulties, sorrows and troubles. According to the visitors´ book, the pilgrims found consolation, hope and also their prayers were very often heard.
In 1805, pater Wolfgang Stangl celebrated the first divine service in a newly built church. He had initiated building of this church the previous year. The church was consecrated in 1847 by bishop Valentin Riedel.
These two important events (300 years anniversary of the Virgin Mary of Loreto and 200 years anniversary of the n the church) were celebrated in Bodenmais in 2005.

Up BackSt. Nicholas Church

Bor u Tachova

The St. Nicholas church in Bor was consecrated in 1283. It was rebuilt for four times in the course of centuries (in 1361, 1526, 1647; it had got its current appearance in 1749). - The protestant priesters sermoned here between 1562 and 1635, after them the monastic priesters (1660-1736 - so-called "Knights of the Cross with the Red Star") and from the year 1736 the catholic diecesal priests. In 1736, the priest Josef Schnidt came to Bor. He was the man that had built the St. Nicholas baroque church in its current appearance (1739-1750) - by the way, the latine chronogrammes in the beautiful wall- & vault-frescos tell it as well). We don´t know the names both of the church architect and the fresco-painter (probably V.S.Schmidt from Planá) today. The fresco-painter had intercepted his face in one of the frescos. J.K.Artschlag from Stráž (ger.- Neustadtl) made the main church altar; the organ was made by the most famous organ-builder in Bohemia in the 18th century, A.Gartner from Tachov.
The archbishop & cardinal Leo Skrbensky had promoted the church to a decanal (dean) church in 1916. The church had been much damaged at the last days of the 2nd world war and had to be much repaired then. The last Bor priest Vladimír Born has repaired the exterior facade in 1970, and then the roof (1990), the church tower (1992) and all of the interior frescos & furnishing - step by step from 1991 - all in cooperation with the society "Caritas International" Passau (D)
The Bor priester P. Vladimir Born has been organizing the divine services accompanied with church music and the church music concert cycles in Bor & surroundings since the year 1990.

Up BackSt. Nicholas Church

Dešenice

The first mention of this village comes from 1272. The church of st.Nicholas founded in the 14th century by the family of Dešenicky of Dešenice was rebuilt 400 years later in a Baroque style. The main altar, a nice Baroque piece of work from 1750, contains a painting of St Nicholas by J.Hellich from 1878. Other significant features are the Baroque altar of St.Charles Borromeo and the wooden statue of Madonna, both dated at the beginning of the 18th century.

Up BackChurch of the Virgin Mary in Pain

Hamry

Village Hamry originated in the 13th century during settlement of border forests by Albrecht III. of Bogen. After his family line had died off, Hamry became a part of The Czech Crown Lands. Another mention of this village as a miner settlement for mining ironstone comes from the 15th century. There also used to be glassworks with places for cutting glass. In the 19th century a paper-mill was founded here as well.
After the Second World War local German inhabitants were resettled and large military barracks were built in Zadní Hamry.
The Church of The Virgin Mary in Pain called Koller´s (a one-nave church of a rectangular ground plan with Olivet chapel and a sacristy in the northern part) replaced the original chapel in 1773. In 1993 this church, partly damaged, was reconstructed by the German natives of Hamry. It was also decorated with traditional glass paintings representing Czech saints. Along the road to the church there are the Stations of the Cross.

Up BackChurch of the Holy Cross Elevation

Chlistov

The first written record of Chlistov originated from the middle of the 12th century. In 1857 the local original church became a parish church. It was probably the motivation for some changes including the neo-gothic reconstruction. It was also equipped with a good quality organ at the end of the 19th century. This one-keybord instrument is a product of Rieger brothers, top quality organ makers from Krnov.
This unique instrument was repaired in 2007 with the help of many parishioners and other people. The church has been a place for many interesting culture events, for example organ concerts, some concerts of Collegium for Sacred Music Klatovy, a couple of spiritual meetings and ceremonies. During these events all performing artists donated their performance income to a beneficial collection.
link

Up BackChurch of St John the Baptist

Janovice nad Úhlavou

This village was first mentioned in 1290 as a property of the family Janovsky of Janovice then. That time a local church of St. John the Baptist was founded. In the presbytery you can also see some precious frescoes originated from the first half of the 14th century representing Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, St. John the Baptist (Deesis), apostles, saints, symbols of Evangelists, the Last Judgment and decapitation of st.John. In early 1950s, all of these frescoes were renovated by Frantisek Kotrba, an academic painter, who was an ardent admirer of Šumava region and especially Klenová. Although the frescoes are partly damaged, nowadays, the impression of the whole is monumental. - The portal main altar with sculptures is from the 18th century.

Up BackThe Former Jewish Synagogue

Kdyně

This unique Neo-Romanesque building was built in 1863 from contributions of the Jewish community. The central part of the synagogue is decorated with original paintings. The interior itself is well preserved, as well as the furnishing. The synagogue was connected with the school and rabi´s house. Regular divine services used to be performed there till 1929 then only on main Jewish feasts. The last service took place there in 1936. After the Second World War the synagogue became a property of The Czechoslovak Hussite Church. Finally, town Kdyně obtained the synagogue in 1994 and soon after that it was declared a national culture monument.

link

Up BackThe Virgin Mary´s Archdean Temple

Klatovy

The building of the Virgin Mary´s Archdean´s temple, which was built in the style of the trinaval temple and is surrounded by a cemetery, has been the the central part of Klatovy since the beginning of its existence.
In 1685, a miraculous portrait of the Virgin Mary of Klatovy was placed at the church altar and Klatovy became an important pilgrimage place.
The last particulary described and, from monumental view, partially checked reconstruction of the church took place between 1899 and 1908. The neo-gothic changes are most seen at the front of the temple revived with the statues of Čeněk Vosmík and plastic decoration introduced by the architect Josef Fanta.

The Miraculous Portrait of the Virgin Mary of Klatovy
On the same place in Klatovy, where the chapel of the Virgin Mary Apparision is still today, the poor shoemaker Ondřej Hirschberger lived in a little cottage. His family took care of the picture of the Virgin Mary with respect. It was brought to Bohemia by the foster father of Hirschberger´s wife - from Re, his birth place in Italy.
When the shoemaker´s trade fell into debt, Hirschberger was considering the sale of the painting. On July 8th 1685 some relatives and friends came to say their last goodbyes, where they were the witnesses of the miracle when bloody sweat appeared on the forehead of the Virgin Mary. This event was the beginning of a long religious trial, in the end the public respect to the Virgin Mary of Klatovy was finally accepted. The painting got its permanent honorary place at the main altar of the Dean church in Klatovy.
link

Up BackThe Church of the Virgin Mary´s Immaculate Conception and St. Ignatius

Klatovy

The temple at the town square creates, together with the Black Tower, the most distinctive dominating feature of the town. The arrival of the Jesuits in Klatovy is connected with the famous Jesuit missionary Albert Chanovský from Dlouhá Ves, who came to the town right after the fight at Bílá hora. The Jesuit order came officially to Klatovy in 1636. They began to teach in a temporary furnished house immediately. In 1655, the foundation stone of the college building was laid and one year later the foundations for the Jesuit church.
At first the architect Carlo Lurago was charged with the project and for the leading of both constructions, then Giovanni Domenico Orsi took over this function. In 1671 both front towers were finished under his leadership. The first mass was celebrated in the partially finished sanctuary in December 1675. The consecration of the temple took place in 1679, when the whole church construction was still not completed. In 1689, the building was damaged by fire, which destroyed the interior equipment as well. It wasn´t until 1717 that the church was restored again. Since then it has been adopted several times.
The church of the Virgin Mary‘s Immaculate Conception and St.Ignatius is built on the ground plan of the Latin cross with the dome above the crossing level arms and keeps the classical conception of the Jesuit temples. The facade supplied with towers is facing the town square. Fresco decorations of the temple together with the rich plaster work comes from the interior renovation at the beginning of the 18th century. The main altar fresco was painted by Johann Hiebel between 1716 and 1717. link

Up BackSt. Martin´s Church

Klenčí pod Čerchovem

The medieval church in Klenčí was first mentioned in 1481. This church was demolished in 1743 and a new church was built on its place. It was finished in 1746 patronized by the count Johann Philipp Stadion von Warthausen and dedicated to St.Martin. This single-naved baroque church with a huge spire, a spacious nave and an unusually closed presbytery is furnished with pieces made mainly in the 18th century. Under the presbytery, there is a noble crypt where the famous Wolf Maxmilian Laminger called "Lomikar" was buried along with other members of his Laminger family. The entrance to the crypt is covered with a down trodden personalized Lomikar´s tombstone including the emblem of his family. Other tombstones dedicated to authorities and burghers can be found among cobblestones on the church floor. There is a presbytery with a baroque gate close to the church at the main road.

Up BackSt. Felix Chapel

Klenová

First mention of Klenová originated from 1291. The dominant feature of this village is a ruin of a Gothic castle, the seat of the lords of Klenová till 1465. In the 16th century, the castle was owned by the noble family Harant. In 1564 the famous travelwriter, composer and politician Kryštof Harant of Polžice and Bezdružice was born there. He was also one of 27 noblemen executed in the Old Town Square in Prague in 1621.
There is also a pseudo-gothic chapel built on the hill opposite the castle in 1897. A beautiful linden-lined road runs to the chapel.

Up BackThe Virgin Mary Annunciation Church

Koloveč

Koloveč was first officially mentioned in 1197. It became a town in the 15th century. One hundred years later, a late-gothic church of the Virgin Mary Annunciation was built in the square on the place of a former fortress. The church went through reconstruction in the 18th and 19th century, a spire was added to the west front and the church was extended.

Up BackSt. John Nepomuk Church

Plzeň

This neo-romanesque church of St.John Nepomuk was built owing to the money from charity gathering on the "Chodske" square which took place between 1908 and 1911. The portal is lavishly decorated with sculptures made by Vojtěch Šíp (1885-1931), a sculptor from Pilsen and a student of Josef Václav Myslbek, an other famous Czech sculptor. In the church towers which are 63 metres high There are four bells tuned according to the Benedictine bells in Jerusalem in the church towers which are 63 metres high.
This church with a nave and two side aisles is 50 metres long with twelve support columns decorated with ornaments and figurative themes. All three altars, the main altar of St.John Nepomuk and both side altars were made in Prague by academic sculptor František Kadeřábek. Under the gallery and the organ loft ,there is a room called "The hall of Singing" where you can find the stairs up to the gallery. The organ there was built in 1915 by Augustin and Josef Paštika, brothers from Čestín near Kutná Hora. This three keyboard organ has 45 registers with many free combinations. This unique instrument was restored a few years ago and consecrated again in 2005.

Up BackSt. Wenzel´s Church

Praha Vršovice

The “Association for building up the parish church in Vršovice”, as the name suggests was responsible for the construction of the latter church. The construction was carried out in 1929-1930 and its ceremonial consecration was held on 21st September 1930.
Since the site (formerly a cemetery) was on a slope, Arch. Gočár conceived the project as a hall building gradually rising towards the presbytery. This breakthrough in constructivist building made of concrete is a significant sight of Vršovice.
The prismatic tower of the church, which is 50.80m tall, is located at the forefront and is crowned by a 7m tall cross made of yellow opaxit. The tower has a rectangular ground plan and faces the Square on its shorter side. Here the church has tall windows made of luxfer glass, which were replaced during the church reconstruction in 1998. The stairs leading up to the tower allows us to get on the cascaded roof. The upper part of the tower with the tower clock merges into the square ground plan. To reach the very top we only have to use a simple ladder.
In 1996 the church was given two bells. The smaller bell was consecrated to St. Ludmila and is 260 kg. The bigger bell is 500 kg and was consecrated to St. Wenceslas.

Up BackSt. Michael´s Church

Regen

The municipal parochial church of St.Michael was influenced by many styles in the course of centuries. Nowadays it is formed by two spires, an old and a new building and a side chapel. The patron of this church is St. Michael Archangel.
Originally a small wooden church originated from 1035 and a massive defence tower was built nearby. in 1100. In about 1270, a small romanesque church was built on the same place but only a small church tower remained well-preserved till our times. In 1473, the nave was newly built in a gothic style and attached to the defence tower. During the Thirty Years´ War, the church was burnt down by Swedes.
A new church was finished in 1657 and was already furnished in a baroque style. There was another extensive reconstruction in 1861, it was held in a neo-romanesque style. The last reconstruction took place between 1966 and 1969, the nave was extended in its eastern part.
There are a lot of precious relics commemorating the rich history of this church: Madonna of Regen (app. 1390), a Gothic painting of Jesus placed above the altar, sculptures of many saints as reminders of different epochs.
Two-keyboard organ with 31 registers and about 1800 pipes was built between 1962 and 1968. The last interior adjustments were made between 2001 and 2003. The new altar front is decorated with the motives of St.Francis of Assisi and his Sun Canticle.

Up BackThe Virgin Mary Annunciation Church

Teplá

The Church of the Annunciation was built between the years 1193 and 1232 as a romanesque-gothic three-nave church 62.25 m long and 15.6 m high. It is the oldest church of its kind in the Czech Republic. The church was consecrated by Prague bishop Jan II. on 20th June 1232 in the presence of the Czech king Václav I. and other official emissaries.
In the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries The church experienced modification in a Baroque style concerning especially interior decoration in the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries. The main altar was made by Josef Lauermann, who worked with marble and a sculptor Ignác Platzer. They both finished their work in 1750. The altar painting was done by Jan Molitor. So-called cross altar in the center of the nave is a result of Josef Lauermann and Ignác Platzer´s cooperation. In Hroznata´s chapel, in the north aisle of the church, there is a reliquary with holy relics of the monastery founder Hroznata that were moved to the chapel after his beatification in 1898.
A selection of monastery art collections is presented in the exhibition room.
link

Up BackSt. Philipp & Jacob Church

Těchonice

The first mention of Těchonice was in 1351. The dominant feature of this village is a local church of St.Philipp and Jacob with a tombstone of Petr Zmrzlík of Svojšín (died in 1558) and a precious operational organ. A baroque presbytery is located at the very spot as an original fortress. In Těchonice there is a well-preserved village square with restored houses. Těchonice village was also mentioned in the novel „Excluded“ written by Karel Klostermann. Since 2001 there has been an active community called Zmrzlík. It has about 80 members who organize local theatrical club. A barn was reconstructed and changed into a theatre for 300 people. The community Zmrzlík organize annual May public festival and other not only cultural events during the whole year (for example concerts, exhibitions, lectures and children´s days). www.sanceprodraha.cz).

link

Up BackThe Chateau Oval Hall

Týnec

Týnec was first officially mentioned in 1233. Between 1624 and 1927, Týnec estate belonged to the family Kolowrat of Krakow who probably initiated the construction of a Baroque chateau according to an architectonic design of Johann Bernard Fischer of Erlach. His plans contained a mansard roof, an oval risalite with an entrance porticoe and a balcony in the garden front.
Another famous period (1927-33) came along with a world-renowned Czech builder Jaroslav Polívka (1886-1960) who decided to open a hotel here. In 1928, a wellknown violin player Jan Kubelík was staying in the hotel.
The current owner of the chateau has been reconstructing the chateau step by step trying to build an art center aimed especially as a residence for fine artists.

Up BackSt. Nicholas Church

Zwiesel

An 86m high church spire, a part of neo-gothic church of St. Nicholas is a dominant feature of Zwiesel, a town famous for its glass industry. It´s the highest spire in Passau diocese. St. Nicholas church was built of burnt bricks in 1896 according to the plans of architect Johann Baptist Schott (1853-1913) and soon after its finishing it started to be known as "the cathedral of Bavarian Forest“. Incredible life-sized statue of The crucified Redeemer from 1730 is a work of the outstanding rococo woodcarver Ehrgott Bernhard Bedl from Augsburg. In the side aisle, you can see another beautiful sculpture, The Pieta, made by an unknown artist from Mondsee in about 1500.
The church also has a three-keyboard organ with 48 registers was built in 1979 by Eisenbarth, an organ maker company from Passau.
link

Up BackSt. Wenzel´s Church

Žinkovy

This originally a gothic church was first oficially mentioned in the 14th century. In the 17th century, it was rebuilt into a baroque church and in 1735, five bells were hung in the church tower. Nowadays, there is only one bell remained. The organ was built in 1736. The church has four altars with paintings of St.Wenceslas, St.Francis Xaver, St.Isidor, St.Gallus and the Virgin Mary of Žinkovy. Decoration of the church consists of paintings, sculptures and statues. There is a glass coffin containing the holly relics of St.Teodor above the St. John Nepomuk altar. In 1684, although there was a big fire in Žinkovy, fortunately a precious wooden statuette of the Virgin Mary holding baby Jesus was saved. People are crediting the statuette with a few miracles.
link

References & Sources:

1. Fišer, M.: Doktor s Bouillonu aneb Jaroslav Polívka a Josef Váchal na zámku Týnec; in: Fišer. M. (ed.): Sborník prací z historie a dějin umění, 1/2002 - Týnec u Klatov, Galerie Klatovy-Klenová / Via artis o.s. 2002

2. Poche, E. a kol.: Umělecké památky Čech I-IV, Academia Praha 1977-1982

3. Schmaderer, J. (ed.) - Jubiläumsjahr 2005 - 300 Jahre Übertragung des Gnadenbildes nach Bodenmais, 200 Jahre Pfarrkirche "Maria Himmelfahrt" Bodenmais, Bodenmais 2005

4. Sokol, V.: Kostel sv. Václava, in: link

5. Váňová, L. - Procházka, Z.: Klatovy, historicko-turistický průvodce č.14 (Texte auf Tschechisch, Englisch und Deutsch), Nakladatelství Českého lesa Domažlice 2000

6. Internetportal ŠumavaNet.cz link (Dešenice, Hamry)

7. Wikipedia, the Free Encyklopedia link (Regen, Praha Vršovice)

8. Internet server Turistik.cz - link (Klenčí pod Čerchovem)

9. Internet sites of the municipal offices (Běšiny, Blovice, Bor u Tachova, Dešenice, Janovice nad Úhlavou, Klenová)