ATTRACTIONS BRNO

Capuchin Monastery

The most known part of this monastery is the Crypt situated in its basement. It was founded in the middle of the 17th century.
Both ideal geological ground composition under the church and exceptional system of airing made possibility for mummification of dead men bodies buried there. People buried in the crypt represent all the society levels from time of monastery founding till the year 1787 when a decision of Emperor Joseph II prohibiting burying inside of towns was proclaimed.
The Capuchin crypt was several times renewed. During the last adaptation in 1995-1998 a new entrance on left side of church outside the building of monastery was opened.

Špilberk Castle

The castle was built in the first half of the 13 th century on top of a hill bearing the same name. The original building often changed hands and the medieval part was later rebuilt.

In the 18 th century Špilberk was transformed into an enormous Baroque fort which also became a feared prison, with the casemates being particularly notorious. It became the place of grim, lengthy suffering for French revolutionaries, Italian carbonari, adherents of the Young Italy movement as well as Czech political prisoners. The prison was also a place of terror during World War II.

Since 1961 it has been a museum under the administration of Brno city and is used for exhibition purposes. The former prison cells and casemates are also open for viewing.

St. Peter and Paul Cathedral

The Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul is located on the top of the hill, known as Petrov, on the presumed site of the former Brno castle.

After the castle's demise the free-standing Romanesque basilica was rebuilt as a Gothic cathedral in the 13th century and converted to the Baroque style in the 18th century.

Its current neo-Gothic form dates from the turn of this century. Since 1777 the cathedral has been the seat of the Brno bishopric.

St. James Church

The gothic city church of St. James stands as an example of the standard of building from the end of the 14th until the 16th century.

The eastern section of the choir was decorated with Parler's fan vaulting prior to the outbreak of the Hussite Rebellion. Work on the building continued from the mid 15th century, and from 1502. The tower was completed in 1592.

Namesti Svobody

This is one of the most imposing squares in the historical city centre. In the past it was called Dolni rynek (Lower Market), and in medieval times, it was surrounded by houses owned by important civilians and Moravian noblemen, who built palaces for their use when they were in Brno.

The original appearance of the square changed following the extensive building alterations that took place at the end of the 19 th and the beginning of the 20th century, when a number of buildings were rebuilt in the neo-Renaissance style. The dominant feature of the square is the baroque Plague Column dating from 1679 with the statues of Sts. Rosalie, Stephen, Sebastien, Roche and Carlo di Boromeo. The modern bank was built on the site of its previous building in 1930 - 1931.

National Theatre

The building of the former German Municipal Theatre, later the Na hradbach Theatre, still later the Janacek Theatre, and now the Mahenovo Theatre, is one of Brno's main architectural landmarks.

The theatre was built between 1881 and 1882 and was designed by Fellner and Helmer, and it was opened for performances on 14 November 1882. It was the first European theatre to feature electric lighting as designed by Edison, who visited Brno in 1911.

From 1882 to 1918 the building served as the main venue for German theatre in Brno. In 1918, after this country gained its independence, the building became the property of the Czech theatrical scene, but it remained open to the German public 2 days a week.

The most significant performances in the building were the premieres of Janacek's operas.

Puppet Theatre Radost

The professional career of this puppet theatre dates back to October 1949. The founder and first manager was Vladimir Matousek, a great teacher and artist who had been an acknowledged personality of the Czech puppetteering in the period between the 2 world wars.

During the 50 years of its existence the theatre staged 200 productions and many were awarded by quite a number of domestic and foreign prizes. It represented the Czech marionette theatre by guest performances and festival attendance abroad, and namely in Europe, Asia and Latin America. At the present day Radost is an important part of the cultural background of the city of Brno.

Town Hall

Brno has 2 town halls. The Old Town Hall was converted from a fortified burgher house at the break of the 13th and 14th centuries to become a world centre for several centuries down to 1935.

The historical origins of the building go back to around 1240. The original allegory of justice was replaced in 1660 by the present statue. At that time the city's new coat of arms was added to the portal which Brno acquired in 1646. The portal closes the original Late-Gothic gate.

The tower lies on early Gothic foundations, its roofing is a copy of the original renaissance roof. The town hall building was damaged during the Swedish wars and was repaired in 1660.

The New Town Hall emerged from a Dominican monastery, known as the St. Michael's church and a Moravian Estates House from the 1680s. The Medieval church was destroyed when the Swedes attacked Brno. The Baroque restoration dates from the 17th century. A peculiarity is the direction of the church with its 2 impressive front towers facing south.

While the Old Town Hall is now a place of culture, history and information, the New Town Hall is the seat of Lord Mayor and the city administration.

Basilica of the Assumption

This is a beautiful example of Gothic architecture in Moravia. The widow Queen, Eliska Rejcka, established the Cistercian convent in 1323 next to the old parish church of Our Lady.
In 1868 Johann Gregor Mendel was elected Augustinian abbot, and it was in this monastery that he discovered and formulated his theory of genetics.
In 1987 the Old Brno church was elevated in status by Pope John Paul II, and from that time it has carried the title 'Basilica minor'.

Villa Tugendhat

This villa is the first monument of modern architecture in the Czech Republic and only the fourth worldwide which has received the prestigious UNESCO designation.

The building is named after Fritz Tugendhat, owner of a Brno textile factory, who had this villa built for his family.
The glass-fronted villa set on a grassy slope was designed by famous German architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe in 1928. Mies was able to utilize exquisite materials and modern technologies of the early 20 th century.

The Villa Tugendhat is described by architecture scholars as a breakthrough work of modern architecture in the international context.

Museum of Moravian Lands

This is the second largest and second oldest museum in the Czech Republic and was established by Francis I imperial decree in July 1817. Its collections currently contain 6 million items representing valuable material from the social and natural sciences. The museum also issues many scientific and popular educational publications, and organizes exhibitions, lectures, and excursions.

Dietriechstein Palace

The Dietrichstein Palace is one of the largest palace buildings in Brno. It was built between 1613 and 1606 as the gubernatorial seat of Cardinal Frantisek Dietrichstein. At the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries it was rebuild in its current high baroque style. Following total reconstruction in the 1980s, it is now open to the public as the main exhibition building of the Museum of Moravian Lands.