Chapel of the Holy Sepulchre

The Chapel of the Holy Sepulchre is a small but historically significant building standing at the very top of Holy Hill (Svatý kopeček) above Mikulov, in South Moravia. It rises right beside the Chapel of St. Sebastian, forming the seventeenth and final stop of the region's celebrated Way of the Cross.

Why was the chapel built on Holy Hill?

The entire Way of the Cross was commissioned by Cardinal Franz von Dietrichstein, Bishop of Olomouc, as an act of thanksgiving for the end of a plague epidemic that struck Mikulov and its surroundings in 1622. The foundation stone for the whole complex was consecrated on 2 July 1623, and the Chapel of the Holy Sepulchre, which closes the composition at the summit, belonged to the original structures built before 1644 - making it one of the oldest buildings of its kind in the Czech Republic.

How is the chapel built, and what is inside?

The building has a polygonal ground plan, with its interior split into two parts: an entry space and the Holy Sepulchre itself, where a statue of the recumbent Christ is placed. The whole design deliberately echoes the original Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, offering pilgrims who could not travel to the Holy Land a symbolic substitute. A staircase of thirty-three stone steps leads up to the chapel - a number chosen to represent the years of Christ's earthly life. The steps seen today, however, are not original: they were carved from sandstone in 1908, when their reconstruction was funded by the princely Dietrichstein family.

What does the chapel look like today?

Between August 2009 and May 2010, the chapel underwent a thorough restoration costing roughly 1.1 million Czech crowns. The work included restoring the ornate Baroque wrought-iron grating that closes off the entrance. Once the repairs were finished, the chapel was reconsecrated in August 2010. The interior itself is not open to visitors, but it can still be viewed through this restored grating.

Where exactly is the chapel, and what else is on the hill?

Holy Hill is a limestone rise belonging to the Pálava range, reaching 363 metres above sea level, with a flat summit and steep slopes. Thanks to its rare plant and animal species, the area was already protected as a botanical reserve in 1946 and has held nature reserve status since 1992. An educational trail leads up the hill, passing the successive stations of the Way of the Cross, the Chapel of St. Sebastian and a bell tower, before reaching the Chapel of the Holy Sepulchre at the very top.

Frequently asked questions

Why was the Way of the Cross on Holy Hill built? It was commissioned by Cardinal Franz von Dietrichstein as an act of thanksgiving for the end of the 1622 plague epidemic.

How old is the Chapel of the Holy Sepulchre? Research from 2009-2010 confirmed it was built before 1644, making it one of the oldest structures of its type in the country.

What do the chapel's steps symbolize? The thirty-three steps represent the years of Christ's life on earth; the current sandstone steps date from a 1908 reconstruction.

Can visitors go inside the chapel? No, the interior is closed to the public, though it can be viewed through the restored Baroque grating.

Where is the chapel located? At the summit of Holy Hill, part of the Pálava range just above Mikulov in South Moravia, next to the Chapel of St. Sebastian.