A Forgotten Path

Once everyone knew it, today we are discovering it again – the Stations of the Cross by Josef Ritter von Führich

Accept an invitation to the Church of St. Anne in Jablonec nad Nisou and discover the story of the Stations of the Cross from the workshop of a Chrastava native and renowned professor at the Vienna Academy, Josef Ritter von Führich. Step among the dramatic scenes that once captivated cathedrals and prayer books all over the world – from Vienna and the Jizera Mountains to the Solomon Islands.
You can visit the interior of the church and see the Stations of the Cross from June 30th to August 30th, from Tuesday to Saturday, at the following times: 10:00–12:30 and 13:00–17:00.
More information:

Between 2005 and 2006, the Roman Catholic Church of St. Anne was transferred to the city and renovated. The original furnishings did not survive, the interior was furnished sparingly, and a new organ was purchased. Today, the church serves primarily for cultural events of a more dignified character – concerts and exhibitions. It has not completely lost its liturgical function either – by celebrating annual masses in honor of St. Anne, the patron saint of the city.
We do not know what original Stations of the Cross it was equipped with, but since 2014, it has housed a technologically remarkable copy of the Stations of the Cross by the Chrastava native and later renowned professor of the Vienna Academy, the painter Josef Ritter von Führich (1800–1876). The artist created the original frescoes between 1844 and 1846 for the new Church of St. John of Nepomuk on Praterstrasse in Vienna. The dramatic life-size scenes immediately gained great popularity, and soon after their completion, the cycle began to be imitated – both in churches and in print, e.g., in prayer books. Surprisingly, copies of all sizes and designs are still being created today and can be found in hundreds of places at home and abroad. They are also located in the Jizera Mountains (Rýnovice, Janov, Lučany). And in the Rychnov Church of St. Wenceslas, there is an excellent classical hand-painted copy, thanks in particular to the so-called "Rychnov School of Painting," which was active in the town in the 19th century. The complete list, which is constantly updated, is maintained by the mother church in Vienna at the link:
HERE
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The work of the successful native of the Jizera Mountains, originally intended for Vienna, has gradually become a literal global phenomenon. Today, it is practically forgotten, and you have the chance to be part of its rediscovery.
Opening hours:
June 30 – August 30
Tuesday–Saturday 10:00–12:30, 13:00–17:00
September 18–19 (Friday and Saturday) as part of European Heritage Days and the celebration of the 160th anniversary of Jablonec being elevated to a city
The event is organized by the tourist information center in Jablonec nad Nisou (Kultura Jablonec, p. o.) in cooperation with the Roman Catholic Church. Photo: Pavel Kusala