The spookiest church in the Czech Republic: a 14th-century temple with nine plaster ghosts
Throughout Spain, there are many abandoned sites that have long since lost the splendor they once held. In Europe, there are also numerous completely neglected sites that are in a state of preservation that could be greatly improved, but none can compare with the Church of St. George located in Luková, a small town in the Czech Republic. This church, however, stands out not because it is in ruins, but because of the eerie nature of the place.
This peculiar temple has stood for almost seven centuries, although it has always been surrounded by a ghostly and supernatural aura... but today that gloomy spirit is even more noticeable due to the curious nine plaster ghosts that haunt the church. These sculptures have attracted thousands of tourists since their installation more than a decade ago, and have become a true icon of the Czech Republic, as the mysticism that surrounds them is extremely disturbing.
The Church of St. George was built in the mid-14th century in the tiny town of Luková, about two and a half hours by road from Prague. The history of this church has always been linked to tragedy and destruction, as it had to be rebuilt numerous times during the Middle Ages due to damage caused by wars, fires, and collapses, leading the population to believe it was closely linked to the supernatural.
The fateful moment came in 1968, when the church roof collapsed during a funeral, injuring several people. From that moment on, the church was abandoned and looted, completely at the mercy of bandits and the harsh weather that plagues the heart of the Czech Republic. This continued for decades until, oddly enough, a university project revived the church in a... very eerie way.
In 2012, Professor Jirí Beránek, a professor at the Department of Design and Fine Arts at the University of West Bohemia (located in the city of Pilsen), asked his students to find an abandoned church in the Czech Republic to create a work of art. Jakub Hadrava chose St. George's Church as the location. He contacted Petr Koukl, the church's caretaker, and the volunteer agreed without hesitation.
This project consisted of nine ghostly plaster figures Titled "My Mind," they were installed inside St. George's Church. They symbolize the memory of the Germans who prayed there on Sundays during the first half of the 20th century, until they were expelled after World War II. As unlikely as it may seem, this gloomy projection didn't scare away tourists; instead , it attracted them en masse , and masses were even celebrated there again.
The "spectral resurrection" of St. George's Church, thanks to its gloomy sculptures covered in white cloth, has led to the church now housing up to thirty ghosts and attracting more and more tourists every day to discover one of the most terrifying places in all of Central Europe.
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