BETHLEHEM CHAPEL (BETLÉMSKÁ KAPLE)
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This square owes its name to the Bethlehem chapel, a true witness to the austerity of the reforms desired by Jan Hus. It surprises you with the colourful facades of one of the city's quietest and most pleasant squares. It was built in 1394 on the site of a malt house, in the heart of a district mainly inhabited by Czechs (and not Germans), who wanted to have a place of worship. It is of great importance for the history and culture of the country, because it was here in 1402 that Jan Hus, burned on July 6, 1415 in Constance for his ideas of reformation, became a preacher. The chapel, very simple at first, without even an altar and its spacious nave, could accommodate up to 3,000 people. It was redesigned in the first half of the 16th century, and it was at that time that the central nave was divided into six small naves. After the Battle of the White Mountain, it was bought by Jesuits and became a residential building in the 19th century. It was not until the 1950s of the 20th century that the chapel was rebuilt by the Czech architect Jaroslav Fragner, based on the original drawings preserved. The wall inscriptions that can be seen today were discovered during this reconstruction and bear witness to the passage of Jan Hus and his colleagues. This huge chapel has now become the site of a permanent exhibition that recalls its history. Every year, on July 5, Hus' death is commemorated there.
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