Heavenly Father Chapel

1998 World Monuments Watch

In its earliest days, the Heavenly Father Chapel had a dual purpose: its lower level was a depository for human bones while the upper level was a chapel where one could celebrate the requiem mass. When the Jesuits arrived in 1626 they converted the Gothic building into a single chapel with baroque influences. Following the dissolution of the Jesuit Order in 1777, the site's religious affiliation was tenuous as it became a factory for church organs. While under private ownership much of the building's beauty and integrity were lost. Its open lower spaces are now full of dirt and vegetation. The chapel is roofless and much of its interior has been destroyed. Despite its grave condition, the building has many surviving Gothic features and forms part of the important architectural complex with Kutná Hora’s Cathedral of St. Barbara. Local officials wish to convert the chapel into a center interpreting the city's history. This could be an ideal training project for local architects and preservationists.