Stop 6: The Chapel of St. Isidore

The memorial Chapel of St. Isidore, The history and monuments of the village Dožice, Church of St. Michael the Archangel.

It is not known when the chapel of St. Isidore was built. Until 1976 the chapel was cared for by married couple Blažena and František Šiškas, Dožice No. 78 After the death of her husband, Mrs. Šišková took care of chapel by herself until year 1985. Then carge o fit was given to the village Mladý Smolivec. The chapel was during the construction of cycle paths repaired by STAFIS KT Ltd. as a gift to the village.

The first mention of the village Dožice appears in the 14th Century (1318). In the fort, this stood there at that time, lived Racek and Lev. In the 15th century it was owned by the village Pelhřimovi, later owned by Janovs and Černíns, then it belonged to Martinkovskýs of Roseč. Jan Martinkovský sold Dožice in 1553 to M. Chanovský of Dlouhá Ves. In 1660 it was bought from Chanovský by William A. Vitanovský of Vlčkovice. In the years 1664-1689 Dožice belonged to Bukovanskýs, in 1689 to the village Rokycanská and since 1698 to Jan Unvert. Next owners were Adam Fortunát Koc of Dobrš in 1723, Jan Josef Vančura of Řehnice and from 1746 crusaders of St. John. Malteses of red cross acquired Dožice from crusaders of St. John for next two centuries. Church of St. Michael on the hill Kamýk (608 m) was bulit by M. Chanovský in 1575. Matleses rebuild and enlarged it in 1862. Church has never become parochial and is now owned by the village. The local castle in the centre of the village dates from 1746, it was partially wooden, on ground level were clerical flats and in floor were rooms for lords. The court included a brewery and distillery, both ceased in the second half of 19th century. In 1654 there was registered 9 occupied farms, 1 abandoned, 8 cottagers and 1 abandoned Cottage. In 1770 there were already 18 farms, 1 mill, 1 jewish destiller and one beggar. At that time there were numbered 39 houses. In 1913 there were alredy 93, in which lived 493 inhabitants and there were two mills. In the first half on the village square were build three statues (John of Nepomuk, St. Anna and St. Anthony). Opposite of park with statues is a memorial to the fallen of the First World War. First children from Dožice attended school in Čížkov abd since 1888 two-classes school in Dožice. The former oinn was rebuilt in 1913 into school, the school had 95 pupils. The shool was until 1982 nine years in 2003 it closed permanently. The irony was that the primary school was rebuilt back to the inn. (Kabátník, 2000)

Church on the Hill Kamýk (608 m) north of the village was built in 1575 by Maurice Chanovský of Dlouhá ves, whom bought Dožice in 1553. He came from a traditional Catholic family settled in this region since the 15th to the early 18th century for example in the Chanovice, Hradište near Kasejovice or Mladý Smolivec. The builder of the church wished to make it served exclusively for the Catholic Mass and in his will from 1584, ordained that the priest, who is of religious service at the church will receive with his altar server for each served Mass 5 groschens and lunch. But Dožice’s church had never the status of a paroshial, but was probably administered from Spálené Poříčí and in 1701 became a subsidiary of the nearby Čížkov, with whom it belonged to the archdiocese of Prague, since 1993 belongs to the Diocese of Pilsen. The pastor here at present again commutes from Spálené Poříčí.

In 1746 Dožice bought Knights of Maltese, who transferred here from Craniola over bailiffs with the title of Saint. Joseph and took over the church patronage. Because the church is located in a secluded spot, the was Cottage for "hermit" who had to take care of basic maintenance. In 1800 the lords sold the cottage. Today the church is owned by the village Mladý Smolivec and is undergoing renovations, the third phase was completed in 2010 with completing replacement of roofing. Since 2011, is made the rectification facade of the church, which will be completed in 2013.

The church is in the region a unique example of a Renaissance church architecture, although its appearance is marked by the adjustments in 1862 and 1907th One nave with a rectangular chancel, sacristy on the north side of a square tower in the axis of the western facade, which is supported by two buttresses stemming from the mass of the tower. The facade is decorated with lesenes, the windows and entrances to the ship are vaulted by arch segment. The presbytery is vaulted with barrel misguided sectors of square pillars with Roman capitals, ship in the same manner, whereby the individual vault field are separated by strips protruding from half-pillars with pilasters and capitals. From the sacristy is accessible oratory, which opens into a semicircular chancel arch.

The church has four baroque altars. The main painting of St. Michael, statues of Moses and Aaron and the angels is dated after 1710. The side altar of Our Lady of Sorrows comes from the late 17th century, the original statue of the Pieta is replaced with worthless painting of the Virgin Mary with baby Jesus sleeping. In the ship are located opposite altar of St. Families with st. Zechariah, Elizabeth and John the Baptist, the patron saint of the Knights of Malta and the Transfiguration. Both altars are of the same version and date back to the early 18th century. The pulpit is by decorations of the same origin. Interesting are carved benches, featuring Neoclassical and baroque ornate featuring in the front Maltese cross. Preserved is also forged grid between the nave and the presbytery with the order cross, probably originating with benches from adjustments time in church in 1863. In the same period falls probably the emergence of the existing organ and choir. Painted decorations of the ship and the chancel was probably in connection with adjustments in  1907. In the chancel it consists mainly of continuous decoration of the lower half of the side walls, alternating symbols of the cross and crown of thorns with stylized leaves. The vault is painted blue with gold stars. In the ship is applied pronouns cross symbols, including several of Maltese, palm branches, the dove of the Holy Spirit, flaming hearts, heads of angels, volute ornaments etc. Above the triumphal arch and in the immediate vicinity were in 1907 hung typical oval metal shields with symbols of Dožice‘s bailiffs of Maltese Order. Today they are stored in a museum in Kasejovice.

From the original Renaissance equipment of the church has been preserved valuable bell hung in the tower. Maurice Chanovský of Dlouhá Ves let him conch in 1575 from Prague's famous bell maker Brikcí of Cimperk. The bell is decorated with rich figural and floral ornaments, in the central part of the mantle is located comprehensive chzech-language inscription and on the opposite side is the crest and name of the customer. The second bell from 1578, also ordered by Maurice Chanovský snapped in 1828 and was transfused in 1839 by Vaclav Perner in Pilsen. He took on during the requisition for military purposes in 1916. Unique bell with small size is located in flèche above the nave. Conched was in 2010 by Leticia Vranová - Dytrychová in Brodek u Přerova instead of the original snapped. It bears the name Maria by Marie Krejčová, who along with her husband has paid for almost all of the production costs. Blessed was in the 5th November 2010 by Mr. Fr. Miroslav Vanc, PhD., Parish administrator of Spálené Poříčí.