Mount Říp, Mnetěš First mention 1126 Romanesque rotunda
The Rotunda of St. George and St. Adalbert at the summit of Mount Říp is a significant religious and cultural monument. It is among the oldest preserved buildings in Czechia and is a classic example of Romanesque style with small windows and thick walls. The first written mention of the rotunda dates to 1126, when Duke Soběslav I had the existing chapel repaired to commemorate his victory in the Battle of Chlumec.
The rotunda is dedicated to St. George and St. Adalbert and is located at a symbolic place associated with the legend of forefather Čech. The 3D model was created in collaboration with Roman Catholic Parish Roudnice nad Labem. More information can be found on the official rotunda website.
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The first written mention of the Říp sanctuary comes from the year 1126 and can be found in the chronicle of the so-called Vyšehrad Canon. Duke Soběslav I had the destroyed chapel renovated to commemorate his victory in the Battle of Chlumec, and the Olomouc bishop Jindřich Zdík solemnly consecrated it.
This fact suggests that the building was founded earlier, perhaps around the year 1039, when the relics of St. Adalbert were transferred to Prague, to whom the chapel on Říp was originally dedicated. We assume that the building in 1126 had its current floor plan and shape.
We know nothing for certain about the previous building. We assume it may have been built sometime during the 10th century in connection with the Christianization of places with persisting pagan cults. Mount Říp has been considered a sacred place since ancient times, associated with the legend of forefather Čech's arrival to Bohemia.
The rotunda is dedicated to St. George and St. Adalbert, but the original patronage is unknown. The Church of St. Adalbert is mentioned in a papal letter from 1273. St. George, the patron of the Přemyslid dynasty, is documented in connection with the rotunda only at the beginning of the 16th century. Only from this time is the dedication to St. George, the patron of the Přemyslids, known.
From the 14th century at the latest, the rotunda served as a parish church for surrounding villages. In 1138, Strahov Monastery acquired the chapel. Until 1577, Říp was owned by the Strahov Premonstratensians, who sold it to Vilém of Rožmberk. In 1577, it became part of the Roudnice nad Labem estate.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, the church became a popular pilgrimage site. Under the Lobkowicz family, the Říp parish ceased to exist and the church came under the administration of the Roudnice deanery. During the Josephine reforms, the local cemetery, hermitage, and pilgrimage tradition were abolished.
With the rise of national consciousness, Mount Říp was revived and became the site of renewed pilgrimages and political manifestations. One of the most numerous gatherings took place in 1868, when the foundation stone for the construction of the National Theatre was extracted from the mountain.
The current appearance of the rotunda is the result of a purist reconstruction that took place between 1869-1881. During this reconstruction, a new southern portal was created (previously, entry was through the now-walled western entrance), large windows were installed in the nave, and the building was covered with smooth exterior plaster. This plaster was half removed during the First Czechoslovak Republic.
In the 1960s, further construction modifications were made based on the requirement to Romanize the facade. The shell was completely rebuilt from the ground floor, which resulted in the loss of the oldest surviving Romanesque masonry on the second floor of the tower. The rotunda thus acquired a "Romanesque" appearance with unplastered facade. Around 2009, the facade was plastered again due to stone deterioration.
Inside the rotunda is a statue of Boy with Lamb, symbolizing the arrival of our ancestors, Slavic shepherds, to Bohemia. Its author is prominent contemporary sculptor Stanislav Hanzík. By the same artist is the work Crucifixion located in the apse of the rotunda's presbytery.
The western tower houses two historic bells. The first is from 1491 and the second from 1509. Both were apparently cast by the same bell founder, master Tomáš of Litoměřice. The bells have Czech inscriptions - the smaller Marian bell has the date 1491, and the larger St. George bell has an inscription about casting in 1509.
The bells are not electrically operated, they are rung manually, and their original tuning requires good technique from an experienced bell ringer for the ringing to sound harmonious. They are rung regularly before Mass.
The annual pilgrimage takes place on the Sunday before St. George's feast day (April 24), with related entertainment and cultural programs the following weekend.
Mass is held in the rotunda on the first Sunday of each month at 4:30 PM. When Mass is not being celebrated, from April to October, a guided tour of the rotunda is possible:
The last tour begins half an hour before closing time.
Krosapp Imagery
3D scanning/modeling and software implementation
Roman Catholic Parish Roudnice nad Labem
Collaboration and expert consultation
Mgr. Tomáš Buryška
Rotunda Administrator
Author of texts and descriptions
