Drivers have the first motorway chapel in the Czech Republic in Šlovice near Plzeň

Šlovice (Plzeň region) - The first highway chapel in the Czech Republic opened today for drivers on the D5 highway near Šlovice by Plzeň. It is apparently the only such building in Eastern Europe where drivers can stop anytime to pray and reflect. In Germany, there are 28, with the nearest one located near Nuremberg towards Frankfurt, said ČTK Petr Otásek from the civil association Via Carolina, which organized the chapel's construction and owns it.
The Chapel of Reconciliation, situated on a modern version of the traditional route between Bohemia and Germany, stands at the end of a rest area near Šlovice heading from Rozvadov to Prague. It has a commemorative plaque for victims of road traffic. "Since October 2006, when the 20.5-kilometer bypass of Plzeň was fully opened, nobody has died on this last completed section of the D5," said Otásek. According to traffic engineer Jaroslav Mecl of the West Bohemian police, this is a good testament to the builders and architects who did not design any risky spots on the bypass that would be unclear or distracting.
The twelve-meter high reinforced concrete structure has a simple cuboid shape. A cross is cut into the side walls. Inside, there is a stainless steel cross and altar, along with concrete benches. The entrance and rear walls are made of glass. The interior has a floor plan of four by six meters to accommodate 20 people. "When the glass wall is pushed aside, it opens up to the paved area in front of the chapel, 20 x 6 meters with benches, roughly the size of one bus," said Otásek.
Eleven companies supported the chapel's construction, including suppliers of the twenty-kilometer highway bypass around Plzeň. Sponsors have declined to disclose the construction costs. According to ČTK, they were less than 1.5 million CZK.
Architect Jan Soukup designed the austere building as a modern association with monumental Wayside Shrines. The chapel was blessed today by Plzeň bishop František Radkovský. "Wayside Shrines are typical companions of old roads in Bohemia. They remind travelers of God's constant presence and human responsibility towards oneself and others," explained Soukup. The chapel and its surroundings are meant to be an oasis of peace, a place for stopping and praying for all people on journeys. Local churches are planning ecumenical services on the Day of Road Accident Victims, offerings of services for truck drivers, and Czech-German meetings.
The Ecumenical Council of Churches has decided to allocate the proceeds from the collection on Sunday, September 21, for landscaping the area. We are reaching out to partners for greening the surroundings. The Křimice Nursery of Lobkowicz has already promised support, added Otásek.