Rediscovering a place from the past and giving it a new lease on life takes a lot of courage, teamwork and elbow grease. Today we share the stories of three groups which are turning old sites into vibrant community gathering places in the Liberec Region. The first is Vojtíškův statek, a farmstead in disrepair which local residents are transforming into a space for cultural and community activities. In Horní Hanychov, residents hold a neighborhood festival at Spáleniště, a place with a rich history. And thirdly, residents of the Jizera Mountains are building a Chapel of Reconciliation at a former Sudeten cemetery, which they want to turn into a place of silence, light and respect.
From ruin to community
Vojtíškův statek is one of the oldest preserved farmsteads in the Liberec Region. “The first mention of Vojtíškův statek dates back to 1598. For centuries, it was the center of economic and social life and illustrates how traditional village architecture developed in the area. The last major renovation took place in 1850, and the fact that it still stands today and has retained its appearance is truly unique,” says Zuzana Schreyerová of the Vojtíškův statek association.
Zuzana Schreyerová will probably never forget the moment she first set foot on the farmstead. “The municipality bought it and the surrounding land from the family that had been farming there for years. It was clear that despite its poor condition, Vojtíškův statek had a tremendous genius loci. A number of us thought that it would be a shame to let such an exceptional place continue to fall into disrepair and that it could be revitalized, with everyone in the village who wants to work together,” she explained.
The Vojtíškův statek association, made up of local residents, has a big dream: to turn the abandoned farmstead into a space for community and cultural life hosting lectures, exhibitions, concerts, theater performances and neighborhood celebrations. The association received a grant from the Dokážeme víc (We Can Do More) program at Via Foundation this year to pursue their dream and revitalize the site. They will use some of the funding to install seating for visitors “We have already organized three large events for the public this year, with 250 people attending the last one,” continued Zuzana. They also plan to invest in a campfire circle, playground equipment and trees and shrubs to be planted in the surrounding area.
Thanks to residents’ dedication to the project,, the farmstead no longer looks like an abandoned ruin. They have cleaned up the area, cleared away the junk, repaired one of the barns with financial support from the municipality and begun opening it to the public. “There is laughter and music here again, which is the greatest symbol of change for us,” said Zuzana . “The support gave us more than funding – it motivated us and helped us believe that we really can do it.”
Spáleniště FEST: A celebration of the neighborhood and local history
The people of Horní Hanychov, a neighborhood in the city of Liberec, have big goals: they want to be the most livable neighborhood around. A group of people working on a site called Spáleniště (“Burning Ground”) are at the heart of this effort. Spáleniště has a rich history as a center of community life – it formerly housed an inn, which burned down in 1942 (hence the name Spáleniště) – and an equally vibrant future.
With funding from the city of Liberec’s participatory budget [where residents get to choose how some funding is allocated], a multipurpose playground was opened at Spáleniště last year. It serves as a meeting place for local residens. “In addition to the playground, we built new soccer goals and a workout zone. A new sandpit, petanque court, gazebo and pump track are in the works,” said resident Jaroslav Podsedník, emphasizing that everything is being done with the help of volunteers from the neighborhood: “People now have first-hand experience in making their neighborhood a better place to live.”
Another important element of community life in Horní Hanychov is a large neighborhood festival, called Spáleniště FEST, which took place for the second time this August. “The event includes concerts by local bands, firefighting equipment demonstrations and activities for children,” said Jaroslav, who organizes the festival with neighbors and volunteer firefighters with the support from Via Foundation and Česká spořitelna bank. Thanks to a grant from the Dokážeme víc (We Can Do More) program, residents are now improving the community facilities at Spáleniště. “We wanted community gatherings to be able to take place regularly and comfortably,” continued Jaroslav. The group is using the funding to equip the clubhouse, purchase a composting toilet and purchase returnable cups to reduce the festival’s environmental impact. They are also preparing information panels about the history of Spáleniště and the local volunteer firefighters. “It is great to see that even small neighborhood ideas like ours are worthy of support. It gave us the energy to continue. For the community, it is also proof that when people come together, they gain the respect and support of large partners.”
Residents restore a forgotten place: the Chapel of Reconciliation
There is a former Sudeten cemetery in the town of Horní Maxov in the Jizera Mountains, which was in a deplorable state at the beginning of the 1990s: abandoned, neglected, full of collapsed graves and tombstones. Local residents began repairing the cemetery in 1995, with help from the local municipality and businesses.
Most recently, the community undertook a larger project at the former Sudeten cemetery: to turn the ruins of the former morgue into a chapel. “We have been hatching this idea for a long time. In the fall of 2023, we began cleaning up the rubble and removing the overgrown vegetation. We began preparing a design to restore the building, which was undertaken by architect Sláva Toulec,” said one of the local leaders, Igor Dřevíkovský.
Today, a timeless memorial – the Chapel of Reconciliation – is being built at the cemetery. “We wanted a quiet, dignified place where people could say goodbye, pause, or just sit quietly and reflect,” said local resident Nikola Matějcová. The project seeks to connect with the history of the place through the chapel: its geometry traces the original curves of the forgotten building. It is not a new building, but a restoration of a defunct structure in its original proportions – only with a new purpose.
“There are many abandoned graves in this cemetery. The Chapel of Reconciliation should give this place a quiet dignity and at the same time remind us that we do not want to forget those who lived here before us,” said Olga Jandurová, another local resident. The Chapel of Reconciliation is also being built thanks to a grant from the Dokážeme víc (We Can Do More) program. They also ran a fundraising drive on Via’s giving portal, Darujme.cz, which raised CZK 250,000 (about $10,000) for the Chapel of Reconciliation. It also attracted the attention of the broader public. “We are delighted that today the cemetery is a pleasant, peaceful, and bright place, once again bringing dignity to those buried here,” concluded Igor Dřevíkovský.
