Bethlehem Chapel, Gothic chapel in Old Town, Czech Republic
Betlémská kaple is a chapel in the Old Town of Prague, with tall stone walls in Gothic style framing large windows and creating a wide interior originally meant for thousands of listeners. The plain hall has a wooden ceiling, a simple pulpit on the side wall, and narrow galleries along the long walls that form a functional space for gatherings.
The chapel was founded from 1391 as a preaching venue and allowed reformers to hold services in the vernacular instead of Latin. After its destruction in the 18th century, it was rebuilt between 1950 and 1954 based on old drawings and archaeological finds.
The chapel takes its name from the biblical Bethlehem and was deliberately built for sermons in Czech so that ordinary people in Prague could understand the services. Today, wall paintings with texts remind visitors of this vernacular tradition and its importance for church reform in the Middle Ages.
The entrance is located on Betlémské náměstí in a quiet quarter of the Old Town, just a few minutes' walk from the Old Town Square. The chapel is open to visitors on most days, though Mondays are typically closed.
The walls display reproductions of medieval texts based on the religious inscriptions originally placed here, giving the space an authentic appearance. Visitors will find a small exhibition on the ground floor showing models and illustrations of the old chapel before its destruction.
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