Šumava Lourdes - a place of pilgrimage where miracles take place
This place 2.5 km southwest of Srní on the slope below Kostelní vrch is shrouded in mystery. According to legend, the Virgin Mary saved two women from a bear attack. There are also reportedly several miraculous healings and miracles. Water from a nearby spring is said to have beneficial healing effects on joints, hands, feet, heart. Pilgrims rubbed their eyes and eyes, in anticipation of improved eyesight. The buildings were destroyed by soldiers in 1957, so today the foundations and part of the masonry of large and small chapels and a modified spring of water are modified on this site.
Small chapel
Pilgrims, and especially the healed, brought monetary gifts to the church in Srní as a thank you for the healing. For this money, the first wooden chapel of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary was built in 1820 on this already famous place. More and more people came to her, who contributed money to the money box in the chapel.
Large chapel
Pilgrimages began to take place at the memorial site and pilgrimage masses were held there. The number of incoming pilgrims and the money saved increased, so in 1860 another larger chapel was built in the neighborhood. But it soon began to disintegrate, so people returned to the original chapel and brought rosaries, holy images and money. Thanks to this, the large chapel could be rebuilt into a small church in 1902. A life-size imitation of the statue of the Virgin Mary of Lourdes then appeared on the altar.
Liquidation of chapels
The chapels found themselves in the border zone, which was established in these places after 1950 in 1948. The whole area behind the Vchýnicko-Tetovské canal was inaccessible and strictly guarded, the place began to fall into disrepair. Both chapels were built in September 1957 during the construction of a military area mined and blasted by the Czechoslovak army. The statue of the Virgin Mary of Lourdes remained miraculously undamaged and was then transferred to the church in Srní, where it is preserved to this day. The whole place, including the spring, was restored and modified in 2006, now the foundations of the original buildings are clearly visible in the terrain.
The strongest energy place
The place is considered to be Lourdes in Šumava. " The whole space is said to radiate positive energy. Right here, at the cross, is said to be the strongest energy place ever.
Healing spring
About 250 meters down the road to the slope above the chapel is the spring that is considered miraculous.
Wooden trough
The water from the miraculous spring is brought into the space to the foundations of the chapels by wooden troughs supported by 49 stray stones. The water then falls on the last stone, where a glass block with the imprint of connected human palms is placed. This symbolically commemorates the prayer of the rosary.