Visiting Brno: Discover the Czech Republic’s Second Largest City

Brno is the Czech’s Republic second largest city and a major starting point for tourists interested in exploring the delightful natural sights and cultural attractions of the south Moravian Region. Despite its large size and population, it’s peaceful and offers plenty of opportunities for hiking and cycling since it’s surrounded by forests.  It’s the perfect combination of modernity and history, with remarkable historical places, a tasty food scene and a vibrant nightlife thanks to being considered a great student city. Besides, Brno can be particularly appealing for those with a taste for the dark and macabre. Home to the second largest ossuary in Europe, a fascinating underground labyrinth, a II WW bunker and a creepy castle, mystery and fear lovers will definitely enjoy their stay here! Renting a car is probably the best way to explore Brno and the surrounding Moravian region or if you are starting your trip in Prague and want to add other destinations to your journey. Careful drivers will not encounter major difficulties when driving around Brno since roads and highways are generally well signaled and maintained. However, it’s advisable to insure your rental to avoid unexpected charges in case your vehicle gets scratched or bumped.  Bear in mind that parking in Brno can be tricky. The city has a new parking system and tourists do not have the same parking rights as residents do. That said, make sure that your hotel has parking space and permission to drive to the centre by car.  Now it’s time to discover what this picturesque city has to offer!

Sts Peter and Paul’s Cathedral

Located on Petrov Hill, in the centre of the city, the Cathedral of Sts Peter and Paul is a national cultural monument and one of the most relevant architectural highlights of South Moravia.It’s the most iconic building in the city and its spires can be seen from many spots around town.  Its splendid Baroque interior, with paintings and walls decorated with mosaics and huge stained-glass windows and the 84-meter-tall twin towers as well as its interesting crypt and the remains of the original city walls are absolutely remarkable. The altar is 11 metres tall and it’s decorated with sculptures of Sts Peter and Paul, which were made by a Viennese artist. One of the most unique features of the cathedrals is that the noon bell tolls at 11am instead of at noon.The reason for this dates back to the 1600s when the Swedes were attacking Brno during the 30 Years War. The attackers pledged to retreat if they didn’t conquer the city by the time the church bells rang at noon so those defending Brno rang the bell an hour earlier and thus the town couldn’t be conquered.  The Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul is one of the main attractions in Brno and definitely a must see. Visitors can also climb up one of the towers and look at the city from above from a small window. Even though it’s not an observation deck, the climb is still worthwhile. 

Visit Spilberk Castle

Spilberk Castle is one of the most important landmarks in Brno. Visitors are allowed to explore the walls and courtyard for free. The Casemates are open to the public and it’s one of the most interesting things to see here. This fortress has served as a home, a prison and it’s now a museum _ the Brno City Museum_  where both permanent and temporary exhibitions are displayed. The former focus on the architectural history of the castle and its role as a prison and the history of the city. The latter range from concerts, theatrical performances and other cultural events. The sweeping views from Spilberk Castle make the hike up to it worth the trip! Tourists are allowed to climb the lookout tower for its fine views over the old city. Spilberk Castle dates from the XIII century and it was built by the Czech king Poemysl Otakar II. It was once the seat of Moravian margraves and it used to be considered the harshest prison in the Austro-Hungarian empire and there Italian nationalists, common criminals and opponents of the Habsburg monarchy were kept prisoners amongst others. And during Hiter’s times, Nazis turned it into barracks. The castle’s large interior courtyard holds a fifteen-bell carillon, a lookout in the corner tower and the Holy Trinity Chapel built in Baroque style. The casemates hold room for torture, many cells for prisoners and you can also see the kitchen where the food for the prisoners was prepared, It’s interesting because the utensils used to cook the food have been kept.  This building complex offers an interesting variety of things to do whether you’re interested in learning about the city’s history, the castle’s past and architecture or simply explore the surroundings and enjoy the views from above. 

Don’t Miss the Old Town Hall

The Old Town Hall is one of the city’s most important historic buildings. It dates back to the XIII century and it was home to Brno’s authorities until 1935. Today, there’s an information centre, a gallery and a permanent exhibition on the history of the building. The courtyard is a preferred venue for concerts and theatrical performances especially during the summer months.  Amongst the highlights of the building that will surely grab your attention, we can mention:

• The crocodile or Brno Dragon: Hanging in the arched passage at the Old Town Hall, there’s a crocodile or the terrifying Brno Dragon. The crocodile is a symbol of Brno. According to a legend, a crocodile that lived by the Svratka River was frightening locals as the “dragon” was chasing their sheep. A Turkish man took a bull, stuffed it with quicklime and brought it to the river. The “dragon” ate the bull and died because of the quicklime and since then it’s hanging from the ceiling at the Old Town Hall.
• The Tilted Pinnacle: There are 5 Gothic turrets decorating the entrance and you’ll probably notice that the one in the middle is tilted. Legend goes that it is not an architectural miscalculation of the builder but that it was made on purpose as the council refused to pay him as it had been agreed.  

The almost 65-metre-tall tower of the Old Town Hall offers one of the most beautiful views of the city. An interesting staircase will bring you to the top of the tower from where you can admire panoramic views of the whole city. The views are particularly attractive at sunset!

St James’ Church and the Ossuary Beneath It

St James’ Church is a fine example of late Gothic architecture and another architectural gem in Brno. The building also dates from the XIII century and it’s the tomb of Louise de Raduit Souches, the famous defender of Brno. The church is famous for its ceiling with several guild features, crests of noble families and various monograms.  The Church of St James’ is the most important religious structure in the city after the Church of Sts Peter and Paul. It features a Gothic crucifix, eary XVI-century reliefs, _ including one of the crucifixion of Christ_, and a number of interesting tombstones and a Baroque organ.  The church tower, completed in 1592, is 94 metres tall and features a surprising statue on the southern side: a small man showing his buttocks to passersby. However, there’s another important reason why you shouldn’t miss this national monument: in 2001, during some excavations that were taking place under the church, archaeologists discovered the skeletons and bones of more than 50,000 people buried underneath. It’s the second largest ossuary in Europe after the Parisian catacomb and experts believe that the bones belong to victims of medieval cholera and plague epidemics, Thirty Years’ War and Swedish Siege.   The Brno Ossuary has been open to the public from Tuesdays to Sundays since 2012. The tour is quite impressive and not for the faint of feet but it’s a must-do while in Brno. Creepy and fascinating, another thing to do for the lovers of the macabre! In the XVII century, a three chamber crypt was built below the floor of the St James’ Church. The ossuary quickly filled during the years, due to the common plague and cholera epidemics. The staircase inside the church that led down to the ossuary was closed with a stone stab in the 1780’s and it was not discovered until 2001. At present, the entrance to the ossuary is not from within the church but from the main square surrounding it. Today, visitors can see all the bones and skulls stacked in piles. A stairway leads down from the sidewalk into a series of arched spaces. Atmospheric lighting and background music contribute to the spooky feeling. Hallways lined up with old tombstones lead between the rooms, which have been tidied and emptied to accommodate visitors. Most of the bones were piled up in a neat and extremely compact way, creating walls and columns of bones.  You’ll see one section in which bones lie in a heap, almost to the ceiling, held back by a plate of Plexiglass. Apparently, this is how the excavators found the ossuary: a jumble of thousands of bones.

For Architecture Lovers: Villa Tugendhat

Architects and architecture lovers will have a special reason to spend some time in Brno: they can’t miss Villa Tugendhat. The Villa of Greta and Fritz Tugendhat is a unique monument. It was designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe between 1929 and 1930 in a functionalist style. It stands out because it’s the only building of modern architecture in the Czech Republic that is inscribed in the UNESCO list. It is open for visitors all year round every day except Mondays. It’s a very popular attraction and tickets are sold out several months in advance so, if you really want to see it, make sure you buy your tickets as soon as possible.  Villa Tugendhat has quite an interesting history. The Gestapo confiscated it in 1939 because the owners were Jewish and it was severely damaged at the end of WWII as it served as stables and quarters for the Soviet military. In 1967, Greta Tugendhat returned to the villa to return it to its original state. It underwent a second restoration in 2010-2012 and it now looks much as it did in 1930.  The villa is now a museum. The interior features exact replicas of the original furniture pieces and an exhibition tells the story of van der Rohe, the Tugendhat family and the era during which it was built. Visitors can explore the main living space, bedrooms and kitchen as well as the boiler room, the engine room and the laundry room.  Villa Tugendhat incorporated some of the most modern technology and concepts from that time such as the technical room, the ventilation system, the boiler and the retractable windows. It’s famous for its unique open-plan structure and use of materials such as chrome, ebony, onyx and travertine. It’s one of the pioneering prototypes of European modern architecture.