Cross Hill and the Way of the Cross – Šluknov

It is located in the southern part of the city on Křečanské Street. The entire area is part of the city’s conservation zone, the Stations of the Cross buildings themselves are protected as monuments, and the core of the area is designated as a protected area.

The Hill of Crosses complex forms a fully-fledged and independent entity with significance from the art historical, regional historical and religious points of view. Although its individual buildings were built in different time periods, they adhered to the original intention – to create a dignified space for the city’s inhabitants for the annual commemoration of the Passion events.

The intention to establish a Stations of the Cross on the Hill of Crosses is associated with the name of the merchant Anton Drößel. It is said that after his return from wandering, he resolved that if he managed to successfully settle in Šluknov, he would establish a Stations of the Cross there. The first modifications were supposed to have taken place in 1738, but the consecration of the route is dated to around 1756.

The Stations of the Cross include twelve stations, the construction and renovation of which was financed by various donors, as evidenced by the foundation inscriptions on the stations. Further on, at the entrance to the area, there are three chapels – the Chapel of the Last Supper, the Chapel of the Prison of Christ and the Chapel of the Flagellation of Christ.

The Chapel of the Last Supper was founded in 1873 by the widow Maria Anna Weber and its construction cost more than 1,000 florins. It was consecrated on September 29 of the same year by the Bishop of Litoměřice, Augustin Paul Wahala.

Kaple Bičování byla zřízena v roce 1926 panem Wilhelmem Hillem s manželkou a v témže roce 28. března byla kaple vysvěcena P. Wilhelmem Franzem Christianem Rudolfem.

Archive research failed to reveal anything about the third of the mentioned chapels, the Chapel of the Prison of Christ.

Other chapels on Křížová hora include the Chapel of the Holy Sepulcher and, at the very summit, the Chapel of Calvary.

The Garden of Gethsemane is also part of the Stations of the Cross, located at the entrance to the site under the slope. In the garden we can find sandstone statues of the reclining apostles St. Peter, St. James and St. John, as well as a kneeling Christ and an angel with a chalice.

The grounds also feature a memorial to those who fell or went missing in the Prussian War and World War I, a monument to Friedrich Schiller, and three tree-lined avenues.

The complex underwent a complete renovation between 1998 and 2005. The rededication ceremony took place on September 10, 2005.