Svatá Hora u Příbrami

Svatá Hora (the Holy Mountain) is the oldest and most important Marian place of pilgrimage in the Czech Republic. The chapel on Svatá Hora, originally a simple Early Renaissance building was built in the early 16th century.

According to the tradition, Archbishop Arnošt of Pardubice is the author of the local sculpture of the Virgin Mary with the Infant from the mid- 14th century. The sculpture was brought to Svatá Hora in the 16th century; soon after processions began to come to this place. In 1647 the Jesuits took over the administration of the place and initiated grand construction on Svatá Hora as a place of pilgrimage. The church was completed and consecrated in 1673. The highest honour for the Virgin Mary of Svatá Hora was her coronation in 1732. In 1861 the Redemptorists took over the administration of the place and acted here till 1950. Forty years later they came back again. The great significance of Svatá Hora was strengthened by the administration of the Pope’s title “basilica minor”.