Svatý Kámen (Holy Stone)

The origins of the pilgrimage site of Svatý Kámen date back to the first half of the 16th century, when legends appeared relating to a boulder, divided into two parts, located near Rychnov nad Malší.

According to the legend, around 1500, the Virgin Mary appeared to shepherds on this spot, surrounded by a heavenly glow and accompanied by singing angels. They are also said to have divided the large stone into two parts, which are constantly moving away from each other. When the space between the boulders is so large that a hay wagon can pass through it, the world will end. The rumors about the miraculous stone led to the foundation of the Marian pilgrimage church by the Poor Clares of Český Krumlov in the 17th century, which was imbued with intense piety.

Abbess Kristina Pöperlová built a simple chapel over the sacred boulder in 1653, but its size soon ceased to suit the rush of pious pilgrims. So the Klariska soon started to build a pilgrimage church dedicated to Our Lady of the Snows. It was completed in 1655.

The construction of the church extended into the first half of the 18th century when the west front with the tower was completed. At the same time as the church was being built, the construction of a small monastery adjacent to the eastern side of the church began. The monastery consisted of three arms of an ambulatory and a simple one-story residential building with cells. The chapel over the spring was built in 1709.