More about the Babiny I cross on the Registration Card of this small sacral monument.
The renovation of the cross, like the renovation of the niche chapel of Babiny III, was initiated at the end of October 2024 by Barbora Ježková from Čeřeniště. Subsequently, a dream was born to adapt the memorial site of the vanished village of Babiny I (see project "Babiny I - extinct Village"), of which this cross will be an important part.
In the 1839 inventory of religious statues of the Proboštov FÚ (see the translation in the "History" section), the following description is given for this cross: "On a sandstone column stands an iron cross with a crucifix made of sheet metal, next to the cross are two paintings of Mary and Magdalene made of sheet metal. Established in 1834 to replace the collapsed wooden cross." Since the other metal crosses in the mentioned inventory are listed as "cast iron," it was deduced that this cross, as the only one described as "iron," was forged.
Therefore, Jiří Belis, an employee of the Museum of the City of Ústí nad Labem and a recognized expert on forged crosses, was approached to examine the column and design its head with a forged cross. Jiří Belis conducted a local survey at the column on November 10, 2024, the results of which, including photographs of the existing condition, are presented in the aforementioned Registration Card.
On December 13, 2024, Jiří Belis submitted a drawing proposing the addition of a head and a wrought iron cross to the column.
On the same day, the stonemason Josef Sotona from Mnichov and the artistic blacksmith Josef Skuhravý from Žandov were asked to submit a quotation. Before the end of 2024, the chairman of the association requested Jiří Belis to modify the patriarchal cross with two crossbars to a cross with a single crossbar. The entire cross should serve as a simple and "silent" reminder of the vanished village of Babiny I, in the customary design of the Malečov region and the surrounding area, meaning with a single crossbar.
On January 3, 2025, the modified design of the cross was sent to the National Heritage Institute ÚOP Ústí nad Labem for an opinion, which will subsequently, together with the drawing, serve as the basis for the opinion of the Department of Heritage Protection of the Department of Urban Planning and Building Regulations of the Municipality of Ústí nad Labem.
On January 6, 2025, Josef Sotona submitted a price proposal for the fabrication of the pedestal head in the amount of 21,800 CZK. This included 5,000 CZK for the new stone, including transport, and 16,800 CZK for the labor. The quotation was accepted.
On January 9, 2025, Josef Skuhravý submitted a price proposal for the fabrication of a wrought iron cross in the amount of 6,940 CZK. The breakdown of costs was as follows: material 400 CZK, blacksmith work 5,000 CZK, material transport 540 CZK, and surface treatment (sandblasting, two layers of anti-corrosion paint ZINGA, and two layers of blacksmith's black paint) 1,000 CZK. The quotation was also accepted.
