Maria Rast am Stein
Maria Rast am Stein, which translates to Mary Resting on the Stone, is a pilgrimage site that has retained its original German name, even among locals.
This pilgrimage site is located above Vyšší Brod on the slopes of Martínkovský Hill. The easiest way to reach the chapel is via the Way of the Cross, which you can join from the Vyšší Brod square by following the green tourist trail. The same route can also be taken from Studánky or the St. Wolfgang Waterfalls. This site, marked on the map of mysterious places in the Šumava region, features a granite block known for its unusually high energy levels.
In 1844, a depiction of Our Lady of the Snows appeared at the spot where, according to legend, the Virgin Mary once rested with the infant Jesus. In 1887, a group of shepherds built an improvised chapel above the stone and the image, which they and other residents later decorated and enhanced. The granite structure was consecrated in 1888. In 1890, this chapel was replaced by a new one (the original now serves as an icon gallery) located just south of the first building. Inside the new chapel, a life-sized statue of Our Lady of the Snows was installed.
In 1898, along the path to Maria Rast, 14 Stations of the Cross were erected, starting from the parish church in Vyšší Brod and leading to the chapel. The final station is an impressive Holy Sepulchre carved into the rock beneath the chapels. Today, all the Stations of the Cross, including the iron reliefs set in stone chapels and the Holy Sepulchre with the figure of Christ, are well-preserved.
This pilgrimage site and its Stations of the Cross are protected as an immovable cultural monument of the Czech Republic.
Accessibility
Open all year – accessible at any time
Entrance fee
Free of charge
How to get there
You can start your ascent to the summit of Hvězda, with an elevation gain of approximately 300 meters, by following the red or blue hiking trails from the village of Hlavňov or the red trail from Křinice. Other options include the yellow and blue trails starting from Pěkov or Hony.
Do you know that...
At the summit of Hvězda stands a tourist lodge built in 1856 in an Alpine style by Abbot J.N. Rotter.
