Klácelka is a man-made

cave Caves or caverns are natural voids under the Earth's Planetary surface, surface. Caves often form by the weathering of rock and often extend deep underground. Exogene caves are smaller openings that extend a relatively short distance undergrou ...

in a

forest A forest is an ecosystem characterized by a dense ecological community, community of trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, ...

near Liběchov,

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, and historically known as Bohemia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the south ...

. It is known for its complex of

sculptural Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable s ...

works made by sculptor

Václav Levý Václav Levý (also known as Wenzel Lewy; 14 September 1820 – 30 April 1870) was a sculptor in the Austrian Empire and Austria-Hungary. He was considered to be one of the pioneers of the modern style in Bohemia. Biography Levý was born in t ...

. The name of the cave and the sculptures commemorate

František Klácel František Matouš Klácel (8 April 1808 – 17 March 1882) was a Czech author, philosopher, pedagogue, and journalist. Since 1827 he was an Augustinian friar in Brno, co-brother of Gregor Mendel. Varied man Klácel was born on 8 April 1808 in ...

, a

theologian Theology is the study of religious belief from a religious perspective, with a focus on the nature of divinity. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of ...

and

philosopher Philosophy ('love of wisdom' in Ancient Greek) is a systematic study of general and fundamental questions concerning topics like existence, reason, knowledge, Value (ethics and social sciences), value, mind, and language. It is a rational an ...

. It was created during the 1840s. At the time of carving the Klácelka, Levý was an untutored young man. He chiseled from

sandstone Sandstone is a Clastic rock#Sedimentary clastic rocks, clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of grain size, sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate mineral, silicate grains, Cementation (geology), cemented together by another mineral. Sand ...

rock a cave that is an allegorical

Blaník Blaník (Czech: ) is a mountain in the Czech Republic near Louňovice pod Blaníkem. The hill and surrounding area is a Protected areas of the Czech Republic, protected landscape area. The Blaník massif consists of two forested rocky hills, Vel ...

- a hall of sleeping heroes. These include the leader of the soldiers of the mythological army Zdeněk Zásmucký, the

Hussite file:Hussitenkriege.tif, upright=1.2, Battle between Hussites (left) and Crusades#Campaigns against heretics and schismatics, Catholic crusaders in the 15th century file:The Bohemian Realm during the Hussite Wars.png, upright=1.2, The Lands of the ...

leaders Jan Žižka and Prokop Holý, the sleeping Blaník army, and the dwarf figures wielding weapons for them. The interior walls of the cave are festooned with

relief Relief is a sculpture, sculptural method in which the sculpted pieces remain attached to a solid background of the same material. The term ''wikt:relief, relief'' is from the Latin verb , to raise (). To create a sculpture in relief is to give ...

s from the

fable Fable is a literary genre defined as a succinct fictional story, in prose or verse, that features animals, legendary creatures, plants, inanimate objects, or forces of nature that are anthropomorphized, and that illustrates or leads to a parti ...

''Lišák Ferina'' by Klácel. The theme of Blaník, central to the Klácelka, harks back to

Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...

symbolism and the memory of the

Hussite Wars The Hussite Wars, also called the Bohemian Wars or the Hussite Revolution, were a series of civil wars fought between the Hussites and the combined Catholic forces of Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor, Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund, the Papacy, a ...

, notwithstanding the

Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

monarchy A monarchy is a form of government in which a person, the monarch, reigns as head of state for the rest of their life, or until abdication. The extent of the authority of the monarch may vary from restricted and largely symbolic (constitutio ...

of the times. Klácelka is freely accessible along the blue tourist trail leading along the circuit from Liběchov via Želízy and Tupadly around another work by Václav Levý, the Devil's Head above Želízy. 2.5 km northwest of Želízy are also the reliefs of Harpist and Snake. File:Klacelka-Rytiri.JPG, Jan Žižka and Prokop Holý File:Klácelka - Blaník2.jpg, Zdeněk Zásmucký File:Klácelka - Blaník1.jpg, The dwarves forge weapons File:Klácelka1.jpg, The bat from Klácel's fable

References

*''The Klacelka In A Slavic Woodland'' by Stacey B. Day, Int. Foundation, N.Y. 2002. Monuments and memorials in the Czech Republic Stone sculptures 1840s sculptures Buildings and structures in the Central Bohemian Region Tourist attractions in the Central Bohemian Region Mělník District {{CzechRepublic-sculpture-stub