Chapel of Reconciliation

“Please, consider the building ... as a stop, a refuge on the journey, an entrance to the inner world for anyone who seeks the meaning of life. ... as a building on the road. That is perhaps the shape of the gate through which one should pass to know God, the world and its gifts. And also the way to our neighbors in Germany, with which this highway connects us, brings us closer, and prepares a space for reconciliation for mutual historical grievances. ... as a building that stands as a cross, like the well-known divine torment on every good road. It is a reminder of God’s presence on the way, a commitment to responsibility for one’s own life and that of others.”

The highway chapel was built on the route of highway D5, which leads from Prague westward to Bavaria, where it connects to the Western European highway network. In Germany, highway chapels have a long tradition, stemming from the warmer relationship of the inhabitants with religion and faith. There are thirty chapels built alongside highways in its territory.
In the spirit of this tradition and thanks to the initiative of the civic association Via Carolina, a chapel was also designed at the highway rest area with a gas station south of Plzeň, near Šlovice, which is part of the bypass of the city of Plzeň.
The chapel hides multiple meanings. It is a spiritual point on the road, a guide and protector for travelers. Given its location along the modern version of the traditional road between Bohemia and Germany, it symbolizes the transformation of often problematic mutual relationships, and thus its name is the Chapel of Reconciliation. Additionally, it features a memorial plaque for the victims of the highway, serving as a monument to human casualties of highway traffic in this section.
The reinforced concrete structure of the chapel has a simple cubic shape created by a 12 m high frame, which hides a modestly sized chapel inside. The frame is a monolithic reinforced concrete structure realized on site, although the original contractor planned to use prefabricated elements, they eventually abandoned this solution due to the complexity of transporting them. The frame is "cut out" on both sides to form the shape of a cross, symbolizing the purpose of the building.
The interior space of the chapel is defined by the sides of the frame and two opposing glazed walls, which allow for a complete view of the chapel from the outside. Its interior measures 4 x 6 m and is accessible through smaller doors in the glazed wall, which can be pushed to one side when there are many participants in a service or memorial ceremony. The front glazed wall was initially designed to lift entirely to a horizontal position, completely opening the interior of the chapel and simultaneously creating a sort of ceiling above the people gathered in front of the chapel. However, this plan was abandoned because it was necessary to lay electrical cables from a relatively distant operating building of the gas station for the lifting mechanism, and permission could not be obtained.
The basic interior equipment of the chapel consists of only three pieces – an altar and two benches. The altar is a concrete monoblock, and the benches are reinforced concrete profiles with wooden seats. A metal console for the Memorial Book is mounted on the wall, in which the history of the chapel, the names of the victims of the local section of the highway, and condoling people are recorded. Above the altar at the front of the chapel hangs a metal cross made of stainless steel polished to a velvet shine. The chapel is only lit from the outside, from a public lighting pole.
Due to the careless attitude of many people toward public property, the chapel is accessible only with a regime measure (a key can be borrowed at the gas station).