15th day - July 23: Teschen: The Protestant 'stronghold' of Czech Republic

Early in the morning, I was awakened by the constant beeping of modern fishing rods, which gathered at the simple campsite at dawn. I had breakfast peacefully, then packed my "seven things" - which are actually more - and had to push the bike uphill for 1.5km. I was getting closer to the Beskid Mountains and either pushed the bike uphill or rolled, sometimes a bit daring, downhill. The goal of the day was the easternmost city of Czech Republic, the old Teschen, which now extends to Poland and Czech Republic. With the formation of Czechoslovakia, the old and especially the traditional Protestant Teschen was divided: into Cesky Tesin and Cieszyn, on the Polish side. After 14 days, coming from the northwest, I completely crossed Czech Republic by bike and wanted to finish my first country of my contact semester in the "most Protestant" area of Czech Republic. I soon found the Evangelical Church of the Bohemian Brethren. A completely new building (photo) in the Neo-Romanesque style of 1924 - also as a result of the division of the old Teschen. The first pastor of the community was immediately ready to show me the church and answer my questions. Because the community has 1500 members, there are even two pastors. An impressive number, I told myself. Right next door is the community center and the community even has a Protestant kindergarten (photo). In his community, there is everything we know: offers for various children's groups, independent youth groups, work for senior citizens, and much more. I was indeed in the Protestant stronghold of Czech Republic. There is even a second community of the Evangelical-Silesian Church with its own church building in the city.

After the tour, he invited me to a delicious soup made by his youngest daughter, one of his 6 children. With his wife and eldest daughter, we had a good conversation about community life in the kitchen of the vicarage. When I was asked if I wanted to stay in the youth cellar (photo) and "enjoy" a shower in the Protestant kindergarten, I couldn't refuse. It was very hot again and apparently I still looked very sweaty. I was very grateful for the accommodation because I wanted to take a closer look at the European Reformation city of Teschen anyway. The shower was a real treat and after a short rest in the wonderfully pleasant cool youth cellar, I set off for the city by bike. The tourist office was still open on the Polish side and I received a very interesting free brochure about the former Protestant Teschen and what Protestant institutions still exist in the city. The main attraction is, of course, the powerful Protestant Christ Church on the Polish side, but unfortunately it was closed. The Protestant Museum, which provides historical information about the Protestants in the city, was also closed due to construction work on the church. However, I learned from a resident directly across the street that there will be Protestant services at 8 and 10 a.m. the next day. In the peace park (photo) of the city, I was able to wait out a heavy rain shower under a wooden rondel. From another brochure, I learned that there is an old Romanesque round church, which is one of the oldest Christian churches in Poland. Since it was not far away on a hill, I visited it and from this spot I had a magnificent view of the city (photo), where the border was no longer noticeable at all. In a cafe, I treated myself to a great latte macchiato, planned the next day, and considered which service I would attend the next day. In the early evening, I cycled back to the community center. In the meeting room, a few voluntary young people of the community were planning the children's camp for the next week. Since I already had a delicious soup for lunch, I only had a cold meal in the evening, watched the news again thanks to the free Wi-Fi in the youth cellar, and then fell asleep contented with the course of the day.