Kaple Ecce homo

Location: In I. P. Pavlova Street in the northern part of the centre of Karlovy Vary
Period of construction: 1897
Architect: Unknown
Official opening: 1897
Accessibility: Not accessible

How to get there

Route 1:        You may reach the chapel if you walk from the Hot Spring in the spa centre along the Teplá River and the Thermal Hotel. You will reach your destination after turning back to I. P. Pavlova Street at the end of Nábřeží Jana Palacha (Jan Palach Embankment). This route, which offers a pleasant walk through the city centre, is approximately 1.5 kilometres long and it will take you about half an hour.

Route 2:        If you decide for the second route, take Bus No. 2 from Divadelní náměstí (Theatre Square) in the spa centre to the "Tržnice" (Market) stop. From there, you will walk about 300 metres up Varšavská (Warsaw) Street and across the bridge over the Teplá River to I.P. Pavlova Street and the chapel.

History of the structure

The Pseudo-Classicist Ecce Homo Chapel was built in 1897 on the site of an older structure dating to the 1800s. It stands in the slope above I. P. Pavlova Street behind the building of the former Franz Joseph Grammar School and the later Jan Palach Basic School. A painting by Wenzel Wirkner entitled "Ecce Homo" and placed in a richly decorated relief frame used to be installed in the chapel. The newly renovated chapel is a perfect example of ornamental Classicist style applied to a small sacral structure seated in an urban built-up area. As it is located in the administrative part of the city centre, it is often undeservedly neglected by the visitors coming to Karlovy Vary and it waits to be rediscovered.