Sacred Topography and Symbolism in the Landscape: Chapel and Forged Cross
The religious life of the community unfolded in close connection with the harsh rhythm of the mountains. Although the settlement never had its own church and was throughout its existence affiliated with the parish office in nearby Proboštov, local inhabitants inscribed their faith into the immediate landscape through small sacral structures and monuments (Severní Polabí, undated; Souček, 1999). These objects served not only for prayer, but also as important orientation points and symbols of community identity.
Along the road towards Čeřeniště, in an area referred to in the maps of the stable cadastre from 1843 as Tausch, there still stands a masonry chapel, built in 1813 at his own expense by Georg Förster, a farmer from house No. 1. The chapel was known as Tschubert’s Chapel (Tschuberts Kapelle). An inventory of religious statues compiled by the Proboštov parish office in 1839 states: in the masonry chapel with wooden lattice doors hang three paintings on canvas in frames—the Holy Trinity, Archangel Michael, and St. Florian. Its current form is the result of restoration works carried out in 2023 by the Malečovský rozhled association. More details are provided in the Renovation section.
The most eloquent relic of human spiritual effort in Babiny I is the memorial cross on a stone column. The above-mentioned inventory provides a detailed description of this monument, offering insight into contemporary piety:
“On a sandstone column stands an iron cross with a sheet-metal crucifix; beside the cross are two images of Mary and Magdalene made of sheet metal. Established in 1834 in place of a collapsed wooden cross.” An interesting detail noted by regional researchers is the reference to an “iron” cross. While other crosses in the inventory are described as cast iron, this one was most likely hand-forged, indicating the specific craftsmanship of a local blacksmith. This sandstone column miraculously survived not only the post-war expulsion of its creators but also decades of military destruction. Today, it has become a symbol of the revival of the memory of the place. At the end of 2024, the Malečovský rozhled association initiated the restoration of this monument with the aim of creating a place of remembrance. The intention was for the restored cross to act as a “simple and quiet” reminder of the vanished village. More details are provided in the Renovation section.