Guide

 

Sights in Brno

The Brno Exhibition Centre


One of the most famous European exhibition centres was built at the beginning of the 20th century in the Pisárky district. This was a popular place among inhabitants of Brno - there was a sugar mill and a park; the first horse-tram route was made here as well as the first local train. In the year 1923 urban competition was announced; the  winning proposal was submitted by Josef Kalous from Prague, which was made into a definitive project by Emil Králík. The Exhibition Centre was put into use on 26. 5. 1928 on the occasion of the Exhibition of Contemporary Culture in Czechoslovakia. After World War Two, activity began again with engineering fairs, which are still held today. The individual exhibition pavilions represent work by more than 30 authors. Special attention should be paid to the building of the exhibition centre post-office, built in compliance with the proposal of Bohuslav Fuchs, pavilion of the country Moravia by Vlastislav Chroust and rotunda pavilion Z with steel dome with diameter 122 m.
The Exhibition Centre is being continuously supplemented and changed, more than 40 trade fairs are held annually, of which the most visited are building, engineering, food international fairs and the international fair of information and communication technologies.

Connection: tramway no. 1 direction Bystrc, stop "Výstaviště" or circulating buses no. 44 and 84



Ecclesiastical Landmarks


The romantic twin towers of St. Peter and Paul Cathedral, surrounded by the bishop's residence, from a well-known symbol of Brno. The most valuable church in Brno, from an artistic point of view, is St. James Cathedral. St. Thomas Monastery Church is famous for the picture of the Black Madonna Miraculous, miracle patron of the city.

 










The House of Lords of Lipá


The House of Lords of Lipá near Klein's Palace is among the most beautiful of Brno Renaissance houses. The house was built by the architect of Italian origin Antonio Gabri for the wine trader Kryštof Schwanz in the years 1589–1596. Another Italian - Giorgio Gialdi - was responsible for the sculptural decoration. Among other owners of this house was Luis Raduit de Souches, the commander of the city defenders against the Swedish in the year 1645. At present time, a shopping centre and one of the advance-booking offices for cultural events in the city of Brno are situated in the House of Lords of Lipá.




The House of Four Giants


Established in the years 1901–1902 for the foundation of V. Gerstbauer. Germano Wanderley designed the palace facade, and the four giants (by A. Tomola) became a critical point of interest. A traditional sweetshop is in the ground floor of this palace.



 
 
 
 




 


 

Petrov


History
The Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul  (Petrov) is one of the dominating features of the city of Brno. A Norman church was originally on this site; in the 14th century, it was re-built in the Gothic style. Right from its inception, Petrov was an important church within the city. The cathedral had 21 altars at the end of the 15th century. The cathedral was damaged in the year 1643 during the Swedish siege, and was burned down. Between 1743 and 1748 the aisle was re-designed into the shape which it has today, according to the design of Mořic Grimm. The chancel was re-gothicized at the end of the 19th century. The overall reconstruction was finished by the Vienna architect August Kirstein in the year 1909, when the cathedral received two towers, and other civil adjustments were implemented. Among the decorations inside the Church, you cannot overlook the statue of Madonna and child which dates from around the 1300´s, a late Gothic pieta, Baroque altars and a rostrum.

Admission free.

Religious Services:
Mon - Sat   07.30
Tue-       18.30 (school students)
Wed- Fri  17.30
Sun -       07.30, 09.00 (children), 10.30  (Latin)
Besides the cathedral, it is also possible to visit the crypt, jewel chamber and towers, weather permitting, at the following times:
Mon – Sat 11.00 – 17.00,
Sun 11.45 – 17.00
Admission fee: 35,- CZK



Špilberk castle



Špilberk castle is one of the dominating features of the Brno skyline.This monumental fortress atop a grassy hill can be seen from afar . The castle was established in the 13th century as the seat of a country lord. The role of Špilberk has changed throughout the ages. It has gone from being a fortress, originally the seat of Moravian margraves, to being the most formidable prison in the Austrian Empire. Špilberk has been the seat of the Brno City Museum for the last forty years.


History

The castle was built in the 13th century. A powerful residential cylindrical tower was constructed as the first building. A gothic palace with a hexagonal tower and a chapel of St. John the Baptist were established on the other side of the castle. A well, more than 100 metres deep, was dug. In the 14th century the castle became the seat of the Luxembourg margraves. The city bought Špilberk in the year 1560; however, due to the city's participation in the anti-Habsburg rebellion, the castle was taken away. Since then, it has been state property. The castle has served as protection for the city several times - in the year 1645 against the Swedish and in the year 1742 against the Prussians. During the course of the 18th century, the castle was changed into a Baroque fortress with caserns and prisons, known as the "Jail of Nations". In the 17th century it became an army prison, later a criminal prison; from the 18th century it also served as a prison for nobility, higher officers and another convicts. During the Nazi occupation, Špilberk was a place of horrors. In the year 1962 the castle was proclaimed as a national culture monument. It currently houses the Brno City Museum . Among other things, visitors can see underground casemates with a torture chamber and rack as well as the dungeons of well-known prisoners - baron Trenk, bandit Babinský and others.

Casemates

Opening hours:

May – September Tue– Sun 09.00 – 18.00 (July and August also Monday)

October – April Tue– Sun 09.00 – 17.00

North and West Wing of Castle

Opening hours:

May – September 09.00 – 18.00 daily except Monday,

October - April  09.00 – 17.00 daily except Monday,

November - March 10.00 – 17.00 daily except Monday and Tuesday

Observation Tower

Opening hours:

April and August 09.00 – 17.00  Saturday and Sunday

May – September 09.00 – 18.00 daily except Monday

Baroque Pharmacy

Opening hours:

May – September Tue– Sun 09.00 – 18.00 daily except Monday

Lapidary

Opening hours:

May – September 09.00 – 18.00 daily except Monday



Old Town Hall



The Old Town Hall is connected with many legends. One of them tells of the creator of the Gothic portal, master Anton Pilgram; the most well-known ones are about the  legendary Brno dragon and the Brno wheel. Unique symbols of the city can be found in the passage of the building itself. The Old Town Hall's historical halls are opened in the summer season. The first - and also the oldest - is Erna´s Hall; the others are the Crystal Hall, Fresco Hall and Jewel Chamber. The observation tower, which is nearly 63 metres high, gives a view over the whole city . Brno Information Centre today uses the Old Town Hall for its offices and exhibitions, and the premises are also used by Brno Tourist Information Centre. 


Observation Tower Opening Hours:

April – September daily 09.00 – 17.00, last entry at 16.30

Admission fee: adults 30,- CZK, reduced 15,- CZK

History

The Old Town Hall is the oldest secular building in Brno . The historical centre of this building was established around the year 1240. It served as a town hall from 1373 to 1935. The main portal of the passage dates back to the late Gothic period; the Renaissance-style additions to the building with arcades and other modifications are the results of early-Baroque reconstruction. The whole complex served the needs of the city council, which held its meetings there; court proceedings took place there, the city clerk had his office there, money, documents and forfeits were deposited. Of course, a city prison could not be missed out, which was in the rear wing of the town hall premises.

Legends

Legend of the Crooked Turret

Brno councillors decided to have a dignified portal built on the occasion of the construction of the Old Town Hall . They commissioned a master of his craft, Antonín Pilgram, who had studied under the Prague stone masters. Pilgram was promised with a handsome reward. In the end, the councillors did not pay him for his work, so he built the central tower in the portal so as to be crooked. The tower is just as "straight" as the councillors were!

Legend of the Brno Dragon

Once upon a time, a huge dragon appeared in Brno . He ate poultry and strangled lambs, and people were very scared of him. Merchants started to stay out of the city, women could not go to the market. Councillors racked their brains as to how to get rid of him, and in the end announced a reward for the killing of the dragon. However, for a long time, nobody was brave enough to face such a monster. One day, a travelling butcher volunteered to try. He sewed up burnt lime into an ox skin, and hid it in the grass. The dragon smelled the ox skin, and ate the whole lot. This made him very thirsty, so he went to the river and drank so much water that the lime began to expand, and in the end his stomach burst out. People took the dragon into the city, had it stuffed, and then hung it in the Old Town Hall passage.

The Legend of the Brno Wheel

A man named Jiří Birk lived in a town in South Moravia called Lednice around the year 1636. One evening, while drinking in a pub, he bet with his friends that in twelve hours he could cut down a tree, make a carriage wheel and roll it to Brno . The bet was sealed; of course, he now had to carry it out. In the morning Birk, amidst much cursing,  set to work, and at noon the wheel was finished. The wheelwright thought that rolling the wheel to Brno would be very easy. He was much mistaken. The route seemed endless; nevertheless, the idea of his friends laughing at him drove him on. With the very last of his strength he rolled the wheel into the town hall, asked the portreeve to issue the confirmation, and returned home. He won the bet, and the wheel is still hanging in the town hall passage today.



Cabbage Market (Zelný Trh)


Cabbage Market (Zelný trh) is situated in the middle of the historical city centre. It was already established when the city itself was established in the 13th century; it was also known as the Upper Market. There used to be a potter, shoe-maker and poultry market as well as a market with iron and hardware goods; there were meat and bread shops as well. Today, fruit, vegetables and flowers are sold at the Cabbage Market.

 

 

 

 

 

Parnas Fountain


In the Middle Ages, stalls had already begun to be put up around the Parnas Fountain. It was built between 1690 and 1695 according to the design of Vienna architect Jan Bernard Fischer z Erlach. The fountain symbolizes a cave among natural rocks. Three allegorical figures represent three old empires - Babylon, Persia and Greece. Water was supplied into the fountain by means of the oldest Brno water-conduit from the river Svratka.




Reduta


Reduta ranks among the oldest theatre buildings in Central Europe. At the beginning of the 17th century the corner house was re-built into the tavern, where travelling theatre groups played. The new house, next to the tavern, was built for them between 1731 and 1732. The city then used Reduta for community activities and theatre performances. In the year 1767, a play was performed there in Czech (for the first time in Bohemia) and the eleven-year-old W. A. Mozart gave a concert. The building was destroyed by fire several times in the course of the 18th century; the last time was in the year 1870. Afterwards, it was re-built into a market-hall. The building began to be used for theatre performances again in the year 1919. Reduta is used by National Theatre Brno today.





The Moravian Museum


Dietrichstein Palace dominates the upper part of Cabbage Market. Olomouc cardinal František z Dietrichstein had it built on the site of five former burgher houses between 1614 and 1620. The Palace was constructed according to the design of Giovanni Giacomo Tencalla. Domenico Martinelli was responsible for the large reconstruction, dating from around 1700.  In particular, his monumental entry portal, entrance hall and staircase to the first floor can be seen today. Michail Ilarionovic Kutuzov, the Russian Army general, made the Palace his seat in the year 1805. The Moravian Museum has owned the building since 1911.

Malý Špalíček


"Malý Špalíček" came into being through the connection of four old houses of Renaissance and Gothic origin. Brno architect Ondřej Erna had owned one of the Gothic houses since 1625. Nevertheless, more well-known is his son Jan Křtitel Erna, who re-built this complex in Renaissance style. Špalíček underwent extensive reconstruction in the years 1969-1973. Today, a part of the premises is used as a restaurant and boutiques.







 



Palace of the House Hauspersky z Fanal

The Palace was originally a Gothic building; early-Renaissance vaults are preserved in the rear wing. Extensive reconstruction dates back to the years 1707–1708; our attention is still drawn to the late-Baroque house today. The Palace belonged to the House of Hausperský z Fanál from 1688 to 1800. The famous experimental theatre "Husa na provázku" uses this house at the present time.


 

 

 

 


 
 
 
 
 
 

New Town Hall


The complex of buildings which make up the New Town Hall came into being over time, from the beginning of the 13th century to the end of the 18th century. The oldest part is the Cloister, part of the Dominican monastery, built in the first half of the 13th century. From the year 1297, this part of the monastery served for the meetings of regional court and parliament. In the middle of the 17th century, when Brno became the capital of Moravia, it was also the seat of the royal tribunal. The complex began to function as the New Town Hall after the reconstruction in the years 1934–1935, when it became the seat of supreme city bodies. Even today, the seat of Brno Municipal Council, and of the Mayor and his deputies is here. There are several things worth seeing in the New Town Hall. Above all, we should mention the Renaissance stairs in the first patio. Furthermore, there are several portals, which were parts of older houses, which have been demolished today. Another remarkable point of interest is the fountain with the grate, decorated with representations of the 12 months. The New Town Hall has two main entrance portals with figurative balcony parapets, which were  created in the Baroque reconstruction of the area, carried out by Mořic Grimm in the years 1726-1729. Three fields of sun dials in the first patio date back to the year 1728, its corresponding portals from the years 1692-1694 and 1733. The second patio portals were removed from the demolished house, located in  Freedom Square(Náměstí Svobody). Only fragments remain from the original decoration of the Cloister. The fresco of the Crucifixion dates from the turn of the 14th century, and the fresco with the circular medallions motif is from the end of the 15th century.




Freedom Square (Náměstí Svobody)


Freedom Square, originally called Lower Market, is the largest and also the oldest square in Brno. It grew up in the 13th century at the crossroads of three business routes, forming a fork. The square has kept its triangular shape. At one time,  the square was a market-place and the city-centre. St Nicholas Church, built in the 13th century for Flemish and Romanic settlers, stood where the tram staion is today. Brno architect F. A. Grimm re-designed it according to a Baroque design in the 18th century. Unfortunately, the church is no longer there. Clergy administration marked it as "redundant", and the church was demolished in the year 1869. Today in Freedom Square we can admire, among other things, the architecture of the House of Lords of Lipá, Klein´s Palace, Plague Pillar, Kounitz Palace and the House of Four Giants.




Plague Pillar



The early Baroque plague pillar was built in the year 1680 by Brno sculptors and stonecutters, especially J. K. Erna. Even day, traditional patrons still protect the inhabitants of the city against plague infection.



 
 
 
 



 
 


Klein´s Palace


This Neo-Renaissance house was built in the years 1847–1848 for the owner of the ironworks in Sobotín. The architects Theofil Hansen and Ludwig Förster used  cast-iron elements to decorate the facade, especially around windows in the first and second floors. The house facade is very unusual even today. Klein´s Palace was opened in the year 1997, after a long reconstruction.



 








Villa Tugendhat


Maybe the most beautiful view of the Brno skyline is from Černopolní street. We can find here one of the most important buildings of the Modern Movement (Functionalism) - Villa Tugendhat. One of the most famous European architects, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, started to build this villa in June 1929, which was built-to-order for the Tugendhats, a newly married couple. The architect had no financial limitations; therefore, construction materials as well as equipment were top quality; some was even exported from overseas. The Tugendhats moved to the villa in December 1930; however, they lived there only till the year 1938, when they had to flee the Nazis.
Villa Tugendhat has survived until today in its original form; thanks to its originality it has been listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.



St. James Church



St. James' Church (kostel Sv. Jakuba) was built at the beginning of the 13th century.  It served the needs of colonists, mainly from Germany and Flanders. The original appearance of the church was preserved. St. James' Church, as we know it today, was built at the turn of the 15th century in late Gothic style. Lorenz Spening took a share in the construction. Modifications, carried-out at the beginning of the 16th century, were done by Anton Pilgram. The typical tower, towering to the height of 92 m, was finished in the year 1592 by Antonio Gabri. Several tombstones can be found in the church; among them the tombstone of Luis Raduit de Souches, Brno defender against Swedish, may be found. The church is located in Jakubské náměstí (James' Square).
Religious services:
Mon – Sat 08.00, 19.00
Sun 08.00, 09.30, 11.00, 19.00 (09.30 in the school year)

 
 
 

Jan Amos Komenský Church


This Church, more commonly known as the "Red Church" (Červený Kostel) due to its red brickwork, was built between 1863 and 1865 according to the design of Heinrich Ferstel. The Red Church is one of the most valuable buildings in Moravia. Moreover, it also has significant cultural and historical importance, as it is the first large and challenging (in terms of construction) non-Catholic church in this part of Europe. The church is located in Komenského náměstí (Komenský Square).

Religious services: valid schedule of services






St. Thomas Church


This former Augustinian monastery was founded in the year 1350 by the margrave Jan Jindřich Lucemburský, brother of Emperor Charles IV, and his son Jošt. The church should have served as the crypt for their House. However, only Jan Jindřich and his son are buried there. During the Thirty Years' War the church was quite badly damaged. The church was re-built in the years 1665-75 according to the designs of Jan Křtitel Erna. St. Thomas Church became the parish church for expanding suburbs in the year 1784. First-class artworks can be seen in the church. Without any doubt, the picture at the main altar of Christ's Appearance to the Apostles, dating from the year 1764, belongs among them. The church is situated in Moravské náměstí (Moravian Square).
Religious services:
Mon – Sat 07.00, 17.30 (Wed 17.30 in the school year for children)
Sun 07.45 Latin, 09.00, 11.00, 19.30



St. Michael Church


The church was built in the years 1658-67 by the Brno architect Jan Křtitel Erna. This baroque church is situated with its monumental facade facing the former Fish Market. Above the portal we can see the emblems of donators Lev z Kounice and his wife Eleonora, née Dietrichstein. A terrace with stone sculptures was built in front of the church in the 18th century. The church is situated in Dominican square.
Religious services:
Mon – Sat 18.30
Sun 09.00, 10.30, 18.30



Měnín Gate


Měnín gate is the only remaining gate of the Brno fortification system. The gate was built around the year 1500. Originally, it was a four-storey tower building. Today Měnín gate is the part of the Brno City Museum.












 

Jewish Landmarks

Brno can be proud of its functionalist synagogue, built between 1934 - 1936, and the Jewish cemetery, which is one of the largest in Moravia,  part of which is also a Neo-Renaissance celebration hall from the year 1900.