Restoration of wayside shrine on the Swedish Hill

Restoration of wayside shrine on the Swedish Hill

The path to the Swedish Hill, which will soon be transformed into a hiking route with landscaped greenery and public lighting, has become a subject of interest to the Endowment Fund. Local historian and researcher Petr Beran informed members of the Fund's Board of Directors about an unusual stone artefact known as a “Boží muka” (God’s torment) which once stood by the wayside there. He also provided a photograph of a contemporary watercolour by Karel Šrámek, which showed how the whole column originally looked. The board of directors decided that the site, which was once one of the most significant places in the district, would be regenerated. The landmark should become one of the foremost hiking routes.

Michal Pospíšil, Deputy Mayor of Cheb and a member of the Endowment Fund’s Board of Directors, said: “Originally, we did not even know what purpose the plinth served, but local historian and researcher Petr Beran pointed out that there was once a wayside shrine on this spot. He even gave us a photograph of a contemporary watercolour by Karel Šrámek, which shows how the whole column originally looked.” Deputy Mayor Pospíšil provisionally estimated that the reconstruction of the stone column, including modifications to the immediate surroundings, could cost around 100,000 Czech crowns (3875 euros).

Petr Beran had written to the Endowment Fund saying: “When repairing the path leading to the Swedish Hill along the railway line, please remember that opposite Ke Kaštanům Street there is the remnant of a plinth for a wayside shrine erected in 1730 to honour the Visitation of the Virgin Mary. She was worshipped in the German Marienweiher where the people of Cheb went on pilgrimage.”

Deputy Mayor Pospíšil says he is now searching in the archive. He added: “Perhaps we can find documents that will tell us how things looked around the shrine, or some other details about this site. In any case there are fruit trees there that we plan to have professionally pruned and thinned out. We would also like to make some alterations to Maškovský brook – in shallow places there could be meanders. It’s certainly a valuable biotope. This place has the potential to become a pleasant new hiking route, similar to the one above Skalka Dam.”