A meditation on materiality and faith, the Our Lady of Sorrows Chapel by RCNKSK transforms a Moravian hilltop into a timeless sanctuary, merging medieval craftsmanship with contemporary precision.
The Our Lady of Sorrows Chapel is not merely a place of worship but a sculptural intervention in the land, deeply rooted in history yet profoundly contemporary. Built over twelve years through the perseverance of Father René Strouhal and his parishioners, the chapel embodies the communal longing for a sacred space while reflecting the ethos of its region: a land of soil and field, shaped by the human hand and spirit.
Perched on an elevated site that has long defined the village’s silhouette, the chapel engages in a dialogue with its surroundings through its choice of materials and spatial narrative. The base, constructed from rough-hewn gneiss stones, serves as both foundation and metaphor—a representation of human imperfection and resilience. From this earthy core, seven timber beams ascend skyward, evoking the Seven Sorrows of Mary. These elements are not merely structural but deeply symbolic, anchoring the chapel’s form in both the physical and metaphysical. The interplay of stone, wood, and light transforms the space into a contemplative vessel, where the presence of faith is not imposed but suggested through material presence and ephemeral qualities.
The chapel’s construction methodology merges tradition with innovation. Inspired by medieval craftsmanship yet shaped by modern technology, its wooden framework—composed of a thousand individually milled components—was assembled using time-honored joinery techniques. The rammed-earth floor and quarried stone walls ground the structure in the raw essence of its environment, while the soaring beams and delicate veil-like lattice allow shifting sunlight to animate the space. The result is an architectural experience that is both intimate and transcendental, an enclosure that expands rather than confines.
As visitors approach, they are guided by an avenue of apple trees and the Stations of the Cross, creating a threshold between the temporal and the sacred. The orchard behind the chapel further connects it to the surrounding landscape, reinforcing its role as a site of pilgrimage and reflection. The careful attention to materiality ensures that the structure will age gracefully, embedding itself in the land much like the village itself. Funded entirely by donations, the slow, deliberate construction process allowed for a sustained refinement of both its design and execution, ensuring that the chapel stands not only as a house of worship but as a testament to time, craft, and collective faith.
