1568 · Prayer room
Lutheran Prayer Room from 1568
There are several good reasons to visit the Lutheran prayer room in Slavonice. The unique interior on the first floor of the house has an unmistakable charm. The former prayer room, which probably served as a multi-purpose space, was created after Protestant services were banned in the parish church on the square. A cycle of twenty-one wall paintings was created in 1568 by an unknown painter and, as a whole, tells the story of the Revelation of St John.
During the Reformation period, local Lutherans formed the majority in Slavonice. The Catholic nobility based in nearby Telč, however, professed the Catholic faith, which led to the ban on Protestant sermons. Another mystery is the preservation of the controversial image of a dragon wearing the papal tiara and pursuing the enemies of Satan. Considering that the Protestant faith was persecuted for approximately one and a half centuries, the survival of this work is exceptionally remarkable. Protestant ideas run through the entire painted cycle and are evident at first glance.
Equally interesting is the wall that separates the former prayer room from the rest of the house. It is made of so-called adobe brick and connected to a wooden structure. Like the ceiling of the room, this wooden part was traditionally coated with ox blood. This method was last used in 2003.
Today, the Lutheran prayer room also occasionally becomes a concert hall where the beauty of classical music comes to life.