Demels chapel

Demels Chapel is a small wooden votive chapel tucked away in a forest valley a few kilometres from the village of Chmelík, in the Svitavy district of the Pardubice region, Czech Republic. It rarely appears in guidebooks, but it makes a worthwhile detour on a walk through the surrounding woods, carrying with it a story of a lucky escape from almost a century ago.

Where exactly is the chapel located?

The chapel stands in a valley known locally as Sněženkovo údolí, roughly 3 kilometres southwest of the centre of Chmelík. The area belongs to the so-called Vysoký les, a large forest tract where several similar, once-forgotten chapels have been restored in recent years. There's no direct road access, so the site is best reached on foot or by bike along forest tracks — bring a local map.

Who built it, and to whom is it dedicated?

The chapel was built in 1932 on the initiative of Wenzel Demele, a German-speaking farmer from Chmelík. It was dedicated to the Virgin Mary, which is why it's sometimes also referred to as the "Chapel of Our Lady." Back then the valley looked quite different from today — instead of dense forest, open meadows stretched across the land, where local farmers cut hay each summer.

What story led to its construction?

The chapel wasn't built to mark a tragedy, but to mark one that was narrowly avoided. During haymaking in the meadow, a pair of horses harnessed to a cart suddenly bolted and charged straight toward a farm woman working nearby, Theresia Demelova. She was knocked down directly between the runaway horses and the cart's wheels — and walked away from the accident unharmed. Wenzel Demele had the chapel raised on the very spot as an expression of gratitude for what was seen at the time as a small miracle.

What happened to the chapel after the Second World War?

The chapel's fate mirrors the turbulent history of the region. After the war, following the expulsion of the area's German-speaking population, the wooden structure was left without anyone to maintain it. Over the following decades it gradually fell apart, until eventually nothing remained of the original building except its stone, lime-mortar foundation.

What does the chapel look like today?

The site wasn't abandoned for good, though. Local volunteers used old photographs and the recollections of witnesses to rebuild the chapel, with restoration work carried out between November 2012 and March 2013. A small wooden chapel once again stands on the original stone base, marking the spot's history and forming part of a broader local effort to restore forgotten chapels scattered through the surrounding forest.

Frequently asked questions

Is the chapel open to visitors? Yes, it stands in open forest terrain and can be visited freely, ideally as part of a walk through the area.

Where does the chapel's name come from? It's named after its founder, Wenzel Demele, a farmer from Chmelík who had it built in 1932.

Does the original 1932 building still stand? No — the original wooden structure deteriorated after the war, and only its stone foundation survived. The chapel visitors see today is a reconstruction from 2012–2013, based on old photographs and witness accounts.

Are there other similar chapels nearby? Yes. The valley and the neighbouring Vysoký les are part of a local restoration initiative that has brought several forgotten historic chapels back to life — Demels Chapel is one of them.