Kaple Kristova vzkříšení

Kaple Kristova vzkříšení (the Chapel of Christ's Resurrection) is a small but architecturally distinctive cemetery chapel in Zlín-Štípa, a district of the Moravian city of Zlín. Standing in the "new" cemetery of Štípa, it has served over the past century as a family tomb, a Catholic chapel, and finally as an Old Catholic place of worship.

Where did this chapel come from?

Construction was commissioned by Count František Josef Seilern around the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, after the Seilern family decided to move their tomb from an older Gothic chapel in Štípa to the newly established cemetery. Building work lasted roughly from 1900 to 1905. The design came from Viktor Siedek, a Vienna-based architect, who drew up a neo-Gothic building with brick walls trimmed in sandstone and a roof covered in characteristic beaver-tail tiles. The chapel was consecrated on 26 November 1905 as the Chapel of St. John of Nepomuk, though from the start it also functioned as the family crypt.

What will you see inside and outside?

The chapel's floor plan is based on an irregular octagon arranged in a cross shape, with a presbytery to the east and side chapels to the north and south. Beneath the floor lie three marble tombs decorated with wreaths and the coat of arms of the Seilern-Aspang family — for a hundred years, these held the remains of family members. Outside, the eye is drawn to the western portal with its carved wooden decoration, pinnacles and tracery featuring trefoil motifs, while narrow, pointed-arch windows on the side facades let in light in typical neo-Gothic fashion.

Why did the dedication change?

After decades of service as the Seilern family's burial chapel, the building passed in the 20th century into the hands of the Old Catholic Church in the Czech Republic. On 14 October 2000, Bishop Dušan Hejbal reconsecrated the chapel under a new dedication — Kaple Kristova vzkříšení, the Chapel of Christ's Resurrection. The choice was not arbitrary: it is customary in the Old Catholic Church to dedicate churches directly to Christ, and the chapel's setting among cemetery graves ties naturally into the symbolism of hope in the resurrection of the dead.

How to get there and when to visit?

The chapel stands in the cemetery in Zlín-Štípa, a few kilometres from the centre of Zlín, reachable by car or local public transport heading toward Štípa. Since it remains an active place of worship, the best time to visit is Sunday, when an Old Catholic service takes place at 10:00 — the one regular occasion each week when the interior is open year-round. Outside service hours, the chapel can still be admired from the outside while walking through the cemetery grounds, and once a year, during the nationwide Night of Churches (Noc kostelů) event, it is sometimes opened to visitors along with a short history talk.

It's worth combining a visit with the rest of Štípa — the same village is home to the Baroque pilgrimage church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, as well as the older Gothic chapel that served as the original Seilern family tomb before 1907.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who built Kaple Kristova vzkříšení? Construction was commissioned by Count František Josef Seilern, with the neo-Gothic design drawn up by Vienna architect Viktor Siedek. It was built between 1900 and 1905.

Why is the chapel called "Kristova vzkříšení" (Christ's Resurrection)? It was originally dedicated to St. John of Nepomuk. The name changed only in 2000, when Bishop Dušan Hejbal reconsecrated it as the Chapel of Christ's Resurrection for the Old Catholic Church.

Can you visit the inside of the chapel? Yes, most easily during the weekly Sunday service at 10:00. Outside that time, interior access is often limited, though the exterior and architectural details can be viewed year-round.

What lies beneath the chapel? Three marble tombs bearing the coat of arms of the Seilern-Aspang family rest beneath the floor — the chapel served as the family's burial site for decades before becoming an Old Catholic church.