Holy Hill

In 1665, Bohuslav Balbín, a historian of Bohemia, published a book on Svatá-Hora written in Latin. One of the illustrations of this book is an engraving by M. Küssel, representing the most ancient depiction of Příbram. It would be hard indeed to recognize in it the present town of forty thousand. A tiny chapel looms above a diminutive and ugly borough bearing the traces of devastations of the Thirty years´war. Though Svatá-Hora was renowned in Balbín´s time, it still awaited its grandiose rebuilding.

Bohuslav Balbín, who saw the chapel in its original form, assumed on grounds of the appearance of its bells and of paintings of miners on its walls that it was very old. The chapel is likely to have been built in the 14^th century when Příbram belonged to the bishops of Prague who later became archbishops. Though the Příbram population embraced the Hussite causeů in the 15^th century, the chapel suffered no adversities.

A major breakthrough in the destiny of Svatá-Hora, however, came about in the half of 17^th century. On the emperor´s orders, the Jesuits, experts in propaganda efficiency, took over the chapel administration in 1647j. The Baroque appreciation of mystic excitement and miracles of every kind launched the shrine of Virgin Mary to the highest position among all the pilgrimage centres of Bohemia.

Most of the second half of the 17^th century was occupied by a fundamental rebuilding of Svatá-Hora according to the plans of Italian architects. The original simple church completely changed its appearance, having been enclosed by a cloister with four corner chapels.

The present shape of Svatá-Hora dates from the beginning of the 18^th century. A balustrade with statues of saints, four staircases descending from the terrace into a cloister, two impressive gates and a priceless stucco decoration of the ceilings. Svatá-Hora is by far the most beautiful architectural monument of Příbram.

This structure incorporates a unique component: a long and roofed staircase connecting it to the town. This staircase was built in 1658j with funds provided by a pious nobleman. Since then it fell into disrepair and was renewed several times.

On 22 June 1732, the third Sunday after the feast of the Holy Spirit, the Svatá-Hora statuette was solemnly coronated; this event has been commemorated annually ever since then. This is the greatest Svatá-Hora became a mere residence of secular provosts. A certain renewal was brought aout in 1861 when new regular administrators, the Redemptorists, were appointed. In the Communist dictature period of 1950 – 1989, the Redemptorists were exiled from here and normal life returned to Svatá-Hora only in 1990.

For practising Catholics, Svatá-Hora is the ultimate goal of joyous pilgrimages and a source of spiritual consolation; for connoisseurs and lovers of art and its beauty it represents an architectural treasure and an unusually impressive and harmonious dominant feature of the local landscape.

Steps to Svatá-Hora

These steps wind up like a coloured snake to a length of 450 metres, linking the town with Svatá Hora. They are first mentioned in records from 1685, they were roofed over later. The famous architect, K. I. Dienzenhofer shared in the final decoration of the steps in 1727 – 1728. Having reached the top, we enter the cloisters of the impressive Church of the Virgin Mary of Svatá-Hora.