Malá Štáhle: Chapel, Stained Glass and Slate History

Malá Štáhle offers several distinct ways to explore its history: a chapel built in 1759, heaps of slate fragments, and Wallhübel, which was located about half a kilometre from the present-day village. The meandering Moravice is also part of the picture: its floodplain includes the cadastral area of Malá Štáhle and serves as a breeding and refuge area for birds along an important Central European migration route. Sacred art, traces of slate mining, and the river landscape provide different themes to consider when planning a trip.

The Chapel and Local History

Malá Štáhle was founded around 1540 by Josef Pňovský of Sovinec. The chapel was built later, in 1759, and is dedicated to Saint John the Baptist. It also preserves a rare stained-glass depiction of the Stations of the Cross. The founding and the chapel’s construction thus mark different periods in the village’s history; its dedication and subject give the sacred building a specific religious and artistic significance. For culture enthusiasts, the combination of its year of construction, patron saint, and distinctive stained-glass image offers a tangible focus that goes beyond simply pointing out a historic building.

Traces of Slate Mining

The heaps of slate fragments bear witness to the many former slate quarries in Malá Štáhle. The educational trail on the traces of slate mining near Malá Štáhle presents the history and remains of local mining. The landscape features and their historical context can be seen side by side: the heaps point to former slate quarries, while the educational trail explicitly focuses on their history and remains. Those more interested in industrial history than sacred art will find a distinctly different way to explore local history here.

Wallhübel: Location and Historical Interpretation

Wallhübel was situated on the left bank of the Moravice, roughly half a kilometre from present-day Malá Štáhle. The site is not signposted and is difficult to make out on the ground—a point worth bearing in mind when finding your way. Its historical interpretation is also only a possibility: Wallhübel may have served as a defensive structure guarding a ford across the Moravice. This ford may have been located on a suspected historical route between Silesia and Moravia. Wallhübel therefore differs from the chapel and the slate-mining educational trail: both the site’s difficulty to identify and the need to treat its historical interpretation with caution are part of the story.

The Moravice and Travel Interests

The floodplain of the meandering Moravice adds a landscape perspective to the local and mining history. It also includes the cadastral area of Malá Štáhle and serves as a breeding and refuge area for birds along an important Central European migration route. Nature enthusiasts can explore the area from a different perspective than the chapel or slate mining, with the river landscape and its importance for birds at the centre. You can choose what to focus on—cultural history, mining history, or the landscape.

Discover more destinations: Razová, Horní Benešov, Dětřichov Nad Bystřicí, Velká Stáhle, Bílčice, Leskovec Nad Moravicí, Stará Ves, Hošťálkovy.

Return to the main travel overview: Okres Bruntál.