Bethlehem chapel
Description:
The Bethlehem Chapel occupies a prominent place in the development of the religious movement in the Czech Republic. Built in 1391, it was designed specifically for church services in the Czech language.
The chapel is closely connected with the Hussite movement in the Czech Republic and has been the main platform of reformers for many years. Thus, for 10 years Jan Hus preached in this chapel, later Thomas Münzer. Only by the end of the XVI century the chapel was under the jurisdiction of the Catholic Church.
In 1773, the chapel was destroyed, and a residential building was built in its place. Only in the middle of the XX century, after this house was demolished, the chapel was reconstructed. The chapel was recreated according to old drawings and drawings, based on three external walls, an entrance portal and several frescoes that survived after the destruction.
Today it is quite a large, spacious building, designed in the Gothic style. In the external and internal decoration there are no excesses: a minimum of decor and interior items, everything is strict and concise. The only decorations of the walls are frescoes, drawings, lyrics with notes and quotes from sermons.
Near the chapel is the house of Jan Hus. There is a small exhibition dedicated to the history of the Hussite movement.