Dobrá Voda – Church of Our Lady the Comforter

The History of Dobrá Voda and the Pilgrimage Church

The Rosenberg archivist and genealogist Václav Březan recorded in 1564 in the biography of the penultimate Rosenberg noble, Wilhelm von Rosenberg, that on the Novohradské estate, above the village of Stropnice near the Austrian border, "a healthy water source appeared, which healed many people." A settlement was subsequently established here, named after Wilhelm as Vilémova hora, which we today know as Hojná Voda (Ger. Heilbrunn).

130 years later, at the end of the 17th century, a new spring emerged under Kraví hora near Hojná Voda, and this location, along with the newly founded settlement, was named Dobrá Voda (Ger. Brünnl). In the meantime, the noble Rosenberg family had died out with Peter Wok in 1611. After a brief period under the Švamberk family, a new aristocratic presence emerged in the southernmost corner of Bohemia – the old French Buquoy dynasty.

It was not uncommon for pilgrims from Bohemia, Moravia, Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary, and Slovenia to gather here. The significance of the place was further emphasized by the presence of a spa, which inspired the famous writer Zikmund Winter to call it the South Bohemian Lourdes. In recent years, the church has undergone extensive restoration, including its interiors. Without exaggeration, it can be said that an extraordinary work has been accomplished, making the church a must-visit site. The church is open to visitors even outside of liturgical ceremonies.