Yesterday I told you about an old church in southern Germany, and today we continue the theme with another old church, this time in the Czech Republic. Consecrated in 1352, Kostel svatého Jiří (St. George’s Church) in Luková, Czech Republic had been neglected for more than forty years, partly because its congregants, who believed the church was haunted, refused to set foot inside. Also, Czechoslovakia was under Communist rule for decades so the government wasn’t too fond of religion either. As the church fell further and further into decay, people tried to come up with different ways on how it could be saved. Then Jakub Hadrava, a sculpture student at the University of West Bohemia, had an idea: Using his fellow students as models, he wrapped them in plastic and raincoats creating 30 ghost sculptures who now “live” inside the abandoned church, creating not only a creepy (but somewhat eerily beautiful) atmosphere but also worldwide attention. As word spread about the “Ghost Church” and the international press grew, more visitors came to visit the church, leaving enough donations to fix the roof and secure the sturdiness of the structure. Also, the people of Luková themselves returned, and now use the church for services, as you can see in this photo here.
Kostel svatého Jiří (St. George’s Church) in Luková, Czech Republic
