Chapel of the Finding of the True Cross in Stodůlky, Prague

The Chapel of the Finding of the True Cross stands in the Háje area of Prague-Stodůlky, on the southern side of the railway line between the Prague-Stodůlky and Prague-Zličín stations, well outside the built-up part of the district. Built in the mid-18th century and tied to a story of a cross discovered inside a felled tree, the small Baroque building has since grown into a parish church known today under a slightly longer name, while still carrying its original dedication in local memory.

How did the chapel come to be built?

The story behind the chapel goes back to 1742, when a military garrison of Empress Maria Theresa was stationed in the area. The troops, commanded by her husband, Duke Francis Stephen of Lorraine, had been sent to drive French and Bavarian forces out of Prague. On 6 August 1742, while felling a tree at the site, one of the soldiers found an old metal cross that had grown into the trunk. The discovery was treated as significant enough to become the founding event behind a new chapel raised on the spot.

When was the chapel built, and who designed it?

Construction of the Baroque chapel took place between 1743 and 1754. The building is generally attributed to the circle of architect Kilián Ignác Dientzenhofer, one of the leading figures of Prague Baroque architecture in that period, though it is described as his probable rather than certainly documented work. In 1761 Empress Maria Theresa herself donated 300 gold coins as an endowment for the chapel, a gesture that tied the imperial family directly to the young foundation and helped secure its continued upkeep.

What is the chapel's status as a protected monument?

The chapel has been listed as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic since 1964. That status recognises both its Baroque architecture, largely unchanged since the 18th century, and its position as a rare structure of this kind standing on its own in what is now a heavily built-up part of Prague, at the edge of the Stodůlky and Zličín cadastral areas.

Is it still called a chapel today?

Since 12 June 2016 the building has officially carried the title of the Church of the Holy Cross and Saint Helena, reflecting an expanded dedication beyond the original Finding of the True Cross. Despite the change in name and rank, it is still commonly referred to by its older, shorter name locally. The church today serves the Greek Catholic community, which uses it for its own liturgy.

Where exactly is it located, and how do you get a sense of the setting?

The building sits in the Háje locality, part of the Prague 13 district, on the south side of the railway corridor linking Prague-Stodůlky and Prague-Zličín. It stands apart from dense housing, in a quieter, semi-open setting that still recalls the rural character of the area at the time construction began, even though Prague's urban expansion has reached the surrounding neighbourhood in the meantime.

Frequently asked questions

Why is it called the Chapel of the Finding of the True Cross? The name commemorates the discovery of an old metal cross embedded in a tree trunk on 6 August 1742, found by a soldier from a garrison commanded by Duke Francis Stephen of Lorraine, husband of Empress Maria Theresa.

When was the chapel built? It was constructed between 1743 and 1754, in the Baroque style associated with the circle of architect Kilián Ignác Dientzenhofer.

What did Maria Theresa have to do with it? In 1761 she donated 300 gold coins as an endowment to support the chapel, directly after its construction was completed.

Is the building protected today? Yes, it has been a listed cultural monument of the Czech Republic since 1964.

What is the chapel called now, and who uses it? Since 2016 it has officially been the Church of the Holy Cross and Saint Helena, and it currently serves the local Greek Catholic community.