Church in Senetářov - a unique architecture created during the totalitarian era

Prague - The construction of a new church would not have been anything special if it were not the beginning of the 1970s and if the Communist Party, which was unfriendly to the church, did not rule in the then-Czechoslovakia. However, the small village of Senetářov in Blanensko miraculously managed to do this and today boasts a gem of modern architecture. The small yet unmistakable Church of Saint Joseph was opened 40 years ago, on July 11, 1971. It was consecrated only after the fall of communism in 1991. It is one of the few sacred buildings constructed during the totalitarian regime.
    The history of the church reflects the absurdity of the time. It happened that the socialist authorities did not even register that the "ideologically undesirable" building had been rising for two years. After the completion of the construction, which was approved at the district level and unknowingly ignored by the highest authorities, a wave of bans, lawsuits, and punishments ensued. The communist regime initially wanted to convert the church into a cultural house or demolish it altogether. Finances, the origin of materials, and the involvement of various individuals in the construction were investigated.
    In the end, the state authorities allowed the use of the new sanctuary on the condition that it would not be consecrated. The opening of the church in 1971 was dramatic - the surrounding area of the village was closed off by state security, so attendees had to park in fields and walk. Around 15,000 believers from across the country came to Senetářov, which has about 500 inhabitants. The church of Saint Joseph was finally consecrated in 1991 with the participation of Bishop Vojtěch Cikrle from Brno.
    The design of the extravagant building was created by artist and architect Ludvík Kolek (1933) in just under two weeks. For inspiration, he also drew upon Le Corbusier, the Swiss-French architect and painter, representative of purism and brutalism. The Senetářov church, made of concrete and glass, gives believers the impression of being a "boat that travels through the centuries, gathering believers and carrying them to God" due to its shape. Kolek is also the author of the interior decorations - the white walls are adorned with stained glass windows, while the altar wall features a triptych in turquoise.
    A gem of the interior is the impressive abstract Stations of the Cross by Mikuláš Medek (1926 to 1974), one of the most significant visual artists. The fourteen paintings of the stations in dark blue and red tones were painted by the spiritually inclined Medek at a time when he was already seriously ill. He is also the author of the altar paintings in the Baroque church in nearby Jedovnice (the frame was created by sculptor Jan Koblasa; Karel Nepraš and Josef Istler also contributed to the decoration of the church) and in Kotvrdovice.
    What was behind the bold construction of the church in Senetářov? During World War II, in 1944, the forcibly displaced residents of the village promised that if they returned safely, they would build a new chapel. The area was supposed to function as a military shooting range. However, it took many more years to realize the plan. A great deal of credit for its realization goes to Father František Vavříček, who demonstrated a sensitivity to what might resonate with and attract people. Construction began in June 1969.
    Funds for the Church of Saint Joseph were gathered from collections and donations from believers, and the citizens built it with their own efforts. The construction costs reached two to 2.5 million Czechoslovak crowns.