Chapel of the Three Brothers

The Chapel of the Three Brothers, also known as the Chapel of the Three Soldiers, is a plastered brick roadside shrine located along the highway between Zdzieszowice and Góra Świętej Anny in the Opole Voivodeship. The structure, built on a rectangular plan, is covered with a gable roof. On the exterior walls of the chapel, there are paintings depicting the Crucifixion and the Resurrection of Jesus, while inside hangs an image of three soldiers praying to the Holy Family. In addition to the prayer scene, this painting includes an inscription in which the soldiers express gratitude for their safe return from war and invoke blessings upon the Queen of Poland and Saint Anne, praying that their homeland be spared further misfortunes. According to local legend, the chapel is linked to a father and his two sons who prayed for a safe return from war—likely during the Napoleonic Wars. Years later, after a joyful reunion at the very same spot, they decided to fund the chapel as an expression of gratitude. The shrine is an important element of local culture and tradition, symbolizing values such as family and loyalty, forged through sacrifice. An interesting episode in the chapel’s history dates back to the interwar period, when during the construction of the road to Góra Świętej Anny, both the painting and the chapel itself were vandalized. One of the road workers was suspected of the act, yet it was these same workers who took it upon themselves to rebuild the shrine. A new painting, created in 1928 by Richter from Góra Świętej Anny, replaced the damaged version. This story highlights not only community bonds but also the importance of local cultural heritage. Thus, the Chapel of the Three Brothers serves not only as a religious site but also as a place of remembrance, symbolizing both tragic and hopeful aspects of the region’s history.