Maria Rast am Stein Viewpoint
A pilgrimage site on the slope of Martínkovský Hill, accessible via the Way of the Cross with 14 stations, offers a beautiful view of the Vltava River valley and the stunning scenery of eastern Šumava.
How to get there
The easiest access to the chapel is via the Way of the Cross, which can be reached from the Vyšší Brod square following the green hiking trail. The same route is accessible from Studánky and from the St. Wolfgang waterfalls. The chapel is also marked on the map of mysterious places of Šumava.
Additional information
In 1844, at the site where, according to legend, the Virgin Mary rested with baby Jesus, an image of Our Lady of the Snows appeared. In 1887, a group of shepherd boys built an improvised chapel above the stone and image, which was later decorated and improved by them and other locals. The granite structure was consecrated in 1888. In 1890, this chapel was replaced by a new one (the original now serves as an icon gallery), located south of the original, and a life-sized statue of the Virgin Mary of the Snows was placed inside. In 1898, 14 stations of the cross were built along the path to Maria Rast, leading from the parish church in Vyšší Brod, with an impressive Holy Sepulchre below the chapels on the rock. All the stations with cast iron images in stone chapels and the Holy Sepulchre with the exposed body of Jesus Christ are currently in good condition.
The pilgrimage site with the Way of the Cross is protected as an Immovable Cultural Monument of the Czech Republic.
