Chapel of inner silence in Nová Lhota

Chapel of Inner Silence (Kaple vnitřního ticha) stands on a hillside above Nová Lhota, a village in the Horňácko region of the Hodonín district, South Moravia. It was the first living tree chapel built in the Czech Republic — a place where architecture is made not from walls, but from growing trees.

What kind of chapel is this, exactly?

It isn't a building in the usual sense. The chapel is formed by 24 linden trees planted in a pattern that mirrors the floor plan of a traditional chapel, with the trunks standing in for columns. The whole idea rests on the notion that a sacred space doesn't have to be static — it can grow, change with the seasons, and take decades to reach its final form. As the trees mature, their crowns are meant to grow together above visitors' heads, forming a living, natural roof that no single planting day could ever produce instantly.

The concept and design behind Czech tree chapels come from landscape architect Hana Matějková. The Nová Lhota chapel was planted in 2016, conceived as a spiritual space for quiet, contemplation, and rest from the pace of modern life.

Where is it located?

The chapel sits on a hill northwest of the village, in an area known locally as Záhumenice and Mezicestí. This is classic Horňácko countryside — rolling, open landscape with views over surrounding hills and meadows, so the walk up to the chapel is already part of the experience, not just a means of getting there.

Why is it worth the visit?

It draws a different kind of visitor than a typical monument — there are no tickets, no guides, no visitor infrastructure. What's there instead is silence, open space, and an idea that reframes what a sacred site can be: something alive, growing, deliberately unfinished. It makes a natural stop for anyone hiking or cycling through Horňácko who wants to slow down for a few minutes.

What else is nearby?

The Horňácko region also has trails leading to the Havraní vodopád (Raven Waterfall), a popular point often combined with a visit to the Chapel of Inner Silence on the same outing. It's worth planning a longer walk that takes in both rather than treating the chapel as a single, isolated stop.

Frequently asked questions

Is the chapel fenced off or closed at night? No — it's an open landscape feature rather than a guarded site. It's a planting of trees shaped like a chapel, and it can be visited freely at any time.

Are religious services or official ceremonies held here? The chapel functions mainly as a space for contemplation and quiet reflection rather than as a parish church holding regular services — it's an open spiritual space, not a place of worship tied to one denomination.

How old are the trees that form the chapel? They were planted in 2016, so the trees are still growing into their intended shape. The crowns fully joining into a natural canopy is a project designed to unfold over decades, not years.

How do you get to the chapel from the center of Nová Lhota? The chapel is on a hill northwest of the village, in the Záhumenice and Mezicestí area, reached via the field and forest tracks typical of the Horňácko landscape.