The church in the military area of Hradiště will be built from stone by pilgrims

Hradiště (Karlovy Vary) - A unique church of Saint Michael will be built in the military area of Hradiště in Karlovy Vary. Pilgrims will also participate in its construction by bringing stones that will form the outer walls. The building is the only intervention in the part of the Doupov Mountains that will remain under the administration of the Czech Army. The church will serve as a place for military ecumenical masses and will only be accessible to the public during church pilgrimages. This was stated today by Defense Minister Alexandr Vondra (ODS).
   Choosing a location for the church was not simple. It had to be relatively accessible, and the dignity of the site had to correspond to the object, which must not interfere with the training troops and must not be endangered by gunfire. The location named Špičák fulfilled these requirements, where the land was consecrated by the Archbishop of Prague, Cardinal Dominik Duka. The future church currently resembles a wooden cross and a cornerstone originating from the walls of the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, which stood at the upper end of the square of the now-defunct town of Doupov.
   According to Vondra, the project to build the church is amazing. It has therefore received support from the Ministry of Defense and the army. "Doupovsko is a region that deserves such an initiative. Bringing the plan to fruition will be up to the Association for the Construction of the Pilgrimage Church in the Doupov Mountains, which initiated the event," Vondra noted. The construction of the church symbolizes the effort to restore the historical memory of the place and will return a natural spiritual center to this landscape of West Bohemia. "I believe the plan will succeed and that people will be willing to bring stones here," Duka stated.
   The project by architect Jakub Tejkl is original in its design. The foundations of the church and the interior of the structure will be built at Špičák. The perimeter will be defined by grids, into which people will throw stones, gradually erecting the walls. This could take several years, perhaps even several generations. The actual foundations of the building could be created by 2015, said Ladislav Kesner from the association for the construction of the church to ČTK. "The costs are about 12 million crowns. We are gathering the money; it will not be easy. To start the construction, we need at least half," he added.
   After the annexation of the Sudetenland in 1938, Czech inhabitants left the Doupov Mountains. After 1945, the German-speaking population was displaced. In 1953, the state declared the area a military zone. This was followed by the widespread destruction of all abandoned settlements. The district town of Doupov, many villages, mountain homesteads, and a whole network of roads disappeared. For the next sixty years, the military training area was developed only according to natural laws. Traces of the disappeared settlements are partially visible in the less accessible parts of the military area.