The forgotten path

Accept our invitation to St Anne’s Church in Jablonec nad Nisou and discover the story of the Stations of the Cross, created by Josef, Knight of Führich, a native of Chrastava and renowned professor at the Vienna Academy. Step into the dramatic scenes that once graced churches and prayer books all over the world – from Vienna and the Jizera Mountains to the Solomon Islands.

You can visit the church interior and view the Stations of the Cross from 30 June to 30 August, Tuesday to Saturday, from 10.00–12.30 and 13.00–17.00.

Further information: Between 2005 and 2006, the Roman Catholic Church of St Anne was transferred to the town and restored. The original furnishings have not survived; the interior was refurbished in a simple style and a new organ was installed. Today, the church is used primarily for cultural events of a more dignified nature – concerts and exhibitions. Nor has it entirely lost its liturgical function – annual Masses are celebrated in honour of St Anne, the town’s patron saint.

We do not know what Stations of the Cross it originally contained, but since 2014 it has housed a technically remarkable copy of the Stations of the Cross by the Chrastava-born painter Josef, Knight of Führich (1800–1876), who later became a renowned professor at the Vienna Academy. The artist created the original frescoes between 1844 and 1846 for the new Church of St John of Nepomuk on Praterstrasse in Vienna. The dramatic, life-size scenes immediately gained great popularity, and soon after their completion, the Stations began to be imitated – both in churches and in print, for example in prayer books. Surprisingly, copies of various sizes and styles are still being produced today and can be found in hundreds of locations both at home and abroad. They can also be found in the Jizera Mountains (Rýnovice, Janov, Lučany). And in the Church of St Wenceslas in Rychnov, there is an outstanding classical hand-painted copy, thanks in particular to the so-called ‘Rychnov School of Painting’, which was active in the town during the 19th century. A comprehensive list, which is constantly updated, is maintained by the parent church in Vienna under the link:HERE.

Over time, the work of this successful native of the Jizera Mountains – originally intended for Vienna – has become a veritable global phenomenon. Today, he is virtually forgotten, and you have the opportunity to be part of his rediscovery.

Opening hours:

30 June – 30 August Tuesday–Saturday 10.00–12.30, 13.00–17.00

18–19 September (Friday and Saturday) as part of European Heritage Days and the celebrations marking the 160th anniversary of Jablonec’s elevation to town status

The event is organised by the Tourist Information Centre in Jablonec nad Nisou (Kultura Jablonec, p. o.) in collaboration with the Roman Catholic Church. Photo: Pavel Kusala