‎Hřbitov Schořov

Hřbitov Schořov is a small village cemetery in Schořov, a settlement roughly 8 kilometers south of Čáslav in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. Behind its modest size lies more than seven centuries of local history, tied closely to a vanished medieval church and a striking Baroque burial chapel of the Pötting family.

What stood here before the cemetery?

The ground now occupied by the cemetery originally held the Church of the Holy Cross, a building already in existence when Schořov was first recorded in writing in 1352, under the lordship of Jan z Bratčic. The church survived for centuries but was consumed by fire during the destructive years of the Thirty Years' War in the 17th century and was never rebuilt in its original form. The village itself was left deserted for a period afterward and its land was administratively merged with neighboring Zbudovice.

Ownership of the Schořov estate changed hands repeatedly over the following decades. After the defeat at White Mountain, the property passed to Countess Maria Magdalena Trčková of Lipá, and in 1636 Emperor Ferdinand III granted the confiscated estate to General Arnošt de Suys. In 1676 the property was purchased by Countess Marie Barbora of Pötting.

Who built the chapel that still stands here?

It was Countess Marie Barbora of Pötting who, in 1697, commissioned the Chapel of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary that still dominates the cemetery grounds today. The chapel has an unusual octagonal, lantern-like shape, said to follow the model of Spanish chapels — a stylistic choice local tradition links to the countess's son Karel, who served as ambassador to the Spanish royal court. The Pötting family also established their family burial vault inside the chapel.

An inscription dated 1757, still visible on surviving original plasterwork, points to further finishing work carried out after the founder's death. In 1739 the entire Schořov estate was sold at auction to Princess Kateřina of Auersperg, closing the Pötting family's era as landowners here, even though their mausoleum chapel remained in place.

Has the chapel changed over the centuries?

Yes. A fire in 1888 damaged the chapel and required substantial repair work. The most recent comprehensive restoration took place in the 1990s, and it is thanks to that work that the octagonal chapel still stands today as the cemetery's defining landmark, set on a small rise east of the village.

How do you get there?

Schořov is reached via local roads connecting it to neighboring villages in the Čáslav area, in a quiet, rural stretch of Central Bohemia. The cemetery and its chapel sit on a modest hill, visible from some distance thanks to the tower-like silhouette of the building.

Frequently asked questions

Is Hřbitov Schořov a large cemetery? No — it is a small village cemetery. Its significance comes from the historic burial chapel on its grounds rather than from its size.

What happened to the original church here? The medieval Church of the Holy Cross that once stood on this site burned down during the Thirty Years' War in the 17th century and was never restored; today's cemetery occupies its former location.

Who commissioned the chapel in the cemetery? Countess Marie Barbora of Pötting, then owner of the Schořov estate, had the Chapel of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary built in 1697.

Can visitors view the chapel? The chapel stands within the cemetery grounds and can be viewed as part of the village landscape from outside; access to the interior depends on local arrangements and the season.