Our Lady of Sorrows Chapel in Nesvačilka

The Sorrows of Mary Shaping the Chapel′s Space

For over a hundred years, the people of Nesvačilka longed for a chapel, a place of spiritual reflection, a space where they could gather as a community of faith. Father René Strouhal, together with the parishioners, shared not only this desire but also a vision: to create a building that would not only shape the surrounding landscape but would also influence the culture, society, and heritage of this place. Little did I know at the time that this decision would set us on a twelve-year journey.

The gently undulating landscape of southern Moravia is vast, with endless fields stretching as far as the eye can see. Nesvačilka has changed little since its baroque inception, with its original layout preserving an elevated spot above the village where the settlement naturally ascends and is visible from afar. This site seemed destined to fulfill the baroque ideals of cultivating the land – a land where no forests or rocks are in sight, only soil and fields. The use of natural materials, rare in this region, such as stone and wood, holds symbolic significance: to bring faith into a parched landscape. I chose the concept of a central structure, one that would stand on the hilltop as a beacon, a point of orientation both in space and in spirit.

The locals selected Our Lady of Sorrows as the chapel’s patroness, symbolising the suffering she endured. Her story and emotions are reflected in the space. Upon the dust and soil of this place, which form the floor, we build a temple. The lower section, made of gneiss stones, represents us – stubborn, disobedient, and difficult to mould. From these stones, seven beams rise toward the heavens, symbolising the Seven Sorrows of Mary, connecting us to God. From the sky falls a veil of Mary’s tears, weeping over us. The delicate wooden structure, nterwoven with small windows, allows sunlight to penetrate the heart of the chapel at all times. The building is encircled by a ring of the Stations of the Cross, complemented by apple trees, which form an avenue leading to the chapel, and an orchard behind it connecting to the surrounding fields.

The structure blends tradition with modernity. The construction is inspired by medieval building techniques, in dialogue with modern technologies. The floor is made of compacted, rammed earth, while the walls are made of quarried stone. The supporting lamellar structure, made from a thousand wooden elements, traditionally joined with pegs and wedges, was crafted using CNC milling. The fifteen-meter-long beams are hand-carved, freely traversing the space, crowned by a steel spire on the roof. Upon entry, you are greeted by five-meter-high doors, opening into a dynamic space. The perspective of the beams and surrounding structure draws you upward. The chapel transcends time. What you experience is its expression, the play of light, acoustics, and scent. The materials are natural, tactile, and imbued with craftsmanship, aiming to lift you beyond the everyday. A key factor in material choice was the ability to age beautifully, enhancing rather than diminishing their quality over time.

Modern Technology vs. Traditional Craftsmanship

A house of God should be timeless, enduring through generations, just like the living church—our faith community. Christianity is deeply rooted in our culture, and God has accompanied us through history’s struggles. In the past, people trusted in God more instinctively, feeling His presence rather than rationalizing it. Similarly, traditional craftsmanship is guided by a sensitivity to materials, a quality often lost in modern construction, where materials are treated according to standardized rules rather than intuitive understanding.

Medieval wooden structures, for example, exhibit greater structural coherence than contemporary ones. Traditional timber framing required no screws or metal fasteners, preventing thermal bridging and decay while ensuring the structure aged uniformly and more slowly. Carpenters respected their materials—beams were hand-hewn with axes, and trees were felled in winter when sap content was minimal, ensuring longevity.

The Nesvačilka chapel seeks to revive these traditional methods. The project aims to reconnect with lost traditions (suppressed under communism) while integrating contemporary technologies. Just as faith continuously evolves, discovering new possibilities and expressions, so does architecture. The chapel’s design draws inspiration from Baroque and Gothic principles, particularly their masterful use of light and their acknowledgment of God as the ultimate source of all things. In Gothic architecture, God was perceived as transcendent and towering above us; in the Baroque era, He engaged us through drama, surprises, and theatrical compositions. However, this design is not bound by historical styles—it seeks new ways to apply these principles using contemporary architectural language.

By chance, Vít Mlázovský, a specialist in medieval construction techniques, joined the project. Known for his reconstructions of major Czech heritage sites, including a medieval crane at Točník Castle and a wooden bridge at Krakovec Castle, Mlázovský collaborates on contemporary projects that revive traditional craftsmanship while engaging in dialogue with modern architecture.

Structural Innovations

Mlázovský further developed the chapel’s conceptual principles into a structural solution. The load-bearing walls of the “heavenly” section are designed as a vertical laminated timber structure, exposed within the interior. While this technique has been commonly used for roof structures since the early 20th century, it is rarely employed for walls. A notable example of this method is the 1950s aircraft hangar of the Rakovník Aeroclub. In Nesvačilka, the same technique will be used vertically, forming walls composed of roughly 1,000 two-meter-long wooden planks. The design is a blend of traditional carpentry and modern CNC machining, with assembly carried out using classic mortise-and-tenon joinery secured by wooden wedges. This construction method presents a significant challenge in realizing the “veil of Mary’s tears”—a delicate wooden enclosure surrounding the space.

The chapel’s wooden frame, entirely composed of planks, will create a subtle background against the dominant “Sorrows of Mary”—seven massive wooden beams traversing the space. These beams, made of fir, were crafted in April 2014 and donated by seven priests. As the only substantial wooden elements in the space, they symbolize the connection between humanity and God—the path Mary has walked and suffered for us. To honor this significance, the beams were traditionally hand-hewn immediately after felling, using only axes to preserve the wood’s natural structure.

Under the guidance of carpenter and stonemason David Šebesta, skilled artisans employed historical tools to shape the 15-meter-long, tapered beams. These could not have been produced with modern machinery.

The stone base was built over three months under the supervision of master stonemason David Šebesta. Using warm earth-toned Rosice gneiss, the stones were carefully selected and placed by hand, emphasizing craftsmanship and individuality—each stone, like each person in a community, finds its rightful place within a greater whole. The masonry follows the principle of horizontal layering, ensuring visual harmony.

Community Involvement and Future Vision

On September 13, a pilgrimage Mass was celebrated for the first time at the chapel site, filling the gathered community with joy and anticipation. The traditional parish feast, usually held at the village shrine of Our Lady of Sorrows, took place on the chapel’s hill, where locals are beginning to find spiritual refuge. After the ceremony, the cornerstone—blessed by Pope Benedict XVI in Brno-Tuřany on September 27, 2009—was installed into the stone base.The entire construction was funded by donations, which extended the building time. However, this
period allowed me to critically reassess the design and carefully consider the technical and symbolic
aspects, ensuring meticulous execution. Close collaboration with the builders and attention to detail
led me to produce both the construction and production documentation, refining the processes in line
with financial and technical constraints.

Additionally, an apple tree adoption program was launched to fund the chapel’s orchard. Within days, 35 trees were sponsored. The selected varieties will be long-lived triploid apple species, such as Jeptiška and Kardinál žíhaný, with planting scheduled for next autumn.

Milestones of the Chapel Project:

• September 27, 2009 – Cornerstone blessed by Pope Benedict XVI
• May 2012 – Architectural study completed
• December 2013 – Building permit issued
• 2014 – Groundwork and foundations laid; hand-hewn beams crafted
• 2015 – Stone base construction, utility installation, and preliminary site development

For more information, visit www.kaplenesvacilka.cz.