Chapel of St. Rosalia near Borovany
A picturesque Baroque pilgrimage site nestled in the quiet shade of tall trees. The chapel was built in the 17th century by the Jesuits.
The pilgrimage chapel of St. Rosalia is located between the villages of Bernartice and Borovany in the Mladý Forest valley. Although this Baroque structure from the late 17th century officially belongs to Bernartice, it is only a few meters from Borovany. Originally a very small chapel, it was later expanded and renovated several times until it gained its present form. The chapel began attracting visitors mainly after the establishment of tourist trails and today is one of the most visited places in the area. Each year in mid-July, a traditional pilgrimage is held here, during which visitors can also view the interior of the chapel.
A cemetery was established at the site in 1680. At that time, the plague was raging in Bohemia, claiming many lives, and the cemetery in Bernartice could no longer accommodate burials. The Jesuits therefore had a chapel built here in honor of St. Rosalia and St. Charles Borromeo – both saints were considered patrons against the plague.
A local legend tells of the chapel’s origin: In 1674, two soldiers attacked a young girl, Alžběta Andělová from Bernartice, in the forest on the road between Bernartice and Bechyně. When she resisted, they threw sand into her eyes. They were driven off by two farmers. The girl was left blind and survived by begging. One day, as she was returning from Borovany to Bernartice, she heard a familiar voice. It told her that many people would be buried at that place, that it would be consecrated to God, and that many processions would come here. When she told her story in Bernartice, people mocked her. Whether the legend is true or not is unknown, but what matters is that the chapel remains a beloved and frequently visited place to this day.
