BRNO

Brno is the second –largest city in the Czech republic. Its population is about 400 000
people. It is situated in southern Moravia, about 60 km from the Czech Austrian border, on
the Svratka and Svitava rivers. To the north and west, Brno is surrounded by the forested
Bohemian-Moravian highlands, to the south and east by the fertile South Moravian lowlands.
Brno has a long and interesting history. The city rights were given to Brno by the
king Wenceslas I. in the 13th century. In the 14th century Brno became the residence of the
Moravian margraves. In the Thirty-Year-War (in the 17th century) it resisted the siege by the
Swedish army and was not seized. During the 18th and 19th centuries, Brno became an
important centre of industry, especially textile industry and mechanical engineering. After the
first World War, Brno was famous for modern architecture, literature and art. Because of the
arms industry (Zbrojovka) located in Brno, parts of the city were damaged by air raids during
World War II. Under the communism, Brno played the role of the regional capital of Moravia
and the national trade fair city.
Nowadays Brno is an important industrial, cultural and administrative centre of
southern Moravia. During the past two decades it has also become an important centre of
science, information technology, research and innovation. This development is closely
connected with the fact that Brno also is a city of universities with more than 86,000 students
at 14 universities and 3 university campuses.
There are several sights in Brno which are very attractive.
The Špilberk castle was built on the top of the hill of the same name. It was founded
in the 13th century by the king Přemysl Otakar II. It was not only a castle, but also a mighty
fortress, which was never defeated – not even during the siege by the Swedish army. During
the 18th and 19th centuries Špilberk served as a prison for political prisoners from all the
Austrian monarchy. Since then, it has been called the “prison of nations”. The casemates,
where the prison was, are now open to public. Nowadays there is a gallery and a museum at
Špilberk. The large park around the castle offers great views of the whole city.
Another dominant feature of Brno can be seen on a hill called Petrov. There is the
magnificent St. Peter and Paul’s Cathedral. It was built on a site of a Romanesque basilica
and it’s Brno’s oldest church. The interior is decorated with many sculptures. The
monumental Gothic statue of the Madonna and Child is worth a special notice.
The Capuchin Crypt is one of the most popular sights of Brno. Dead bodies of
Capuchin monks were laid there in the 17th century when the monastery was founded. There
is a unique natural circulation of air there, through which the corpses got naturally
mummified.
Another wonderful sight is the parish church of St. James. It is a late Gothic building
with fantastic embellishment – for example the beautiful vault. A new tourist attraction is the
ossuary below the church.
In the centre of the city there is the Old Town Hall. In its gateway we can admire the
legendary “dragon” and the “wheel”. Many tales and legends are connected with them and
with the building of the Old Town Hall. It used to be a seat of town administration. Now the
seat is located in the New Town Hall, which is nearby.
The Freedom Square is the central square of the city, with many historical buildings.
Besides that, The Plague Column is there.
If you want to buy fresh fruit and vegetables or flowers, you can go to the Vegetable
Market, a historical square where these markets are traditionally held. In the middle of the
square there is the beautiful baroque Parnas Fountain.
 Brno became famous, especially between the wars, for its modern architecture. The
Tugendhat Villa is one of the most precious buildings of functionalism. It is on UNESCO’s
World Cultural Heritage list.
The surroundings of Brno offer many opportunities for relaxation and recreation. You
can go jogging round the Brno Reservoir - or take a ride on a boat in the summer – and visit
the medieval Veveří castle.
For lovers of motorbike races the best place to visit is the Masaryk Circuit with its
well-known racetrack, hidden in the woods not far from the Brno Reservoir.
Brno has an exceptionally long and rich industrial tradition, and also a long tradition
of trade fairs. Regular trade exhibitions have been held in Brno since 1821. The Brno
Exhibition Centre was established in 1928 and consists of 15 exhibition halls as well as
open-air spaces. The exhibition halls are great examples of Czech modernist architecture from
the 1920’s. The most famous trade fairs are the International Engineering Fair and the
International Fair of Consumer Goods. Experts say that Brno Fair Ground is among
Europe’s most beautiful exhibition stages.

Not far from the fair grounds there is an old building which can be recognized from a
long distance for ist typical odour, the Brno Brewery.
Brno is also the cultural centre with theatres, cinemas, galleries and museums. It is
connected with names of several famous people such as Leoš Janáček – the czech composer,
or Jan Skácel – a Czech poet, who is burried at the Central Cemetery.