Brno sights

What can I see in Brno for a tourist? We offer you the most interesting sights in Brno in Czech Republic and its surroundings with photos and short descriptions. And to see this beautiful city in more detail, you can only go to Moravia.

Top 16 attractions in Brno

Brno is a city located in Moravia in Bohemia and was the capital of the region from the 17th to the mid-20th century. It is the second largest city in the Czech Republic after Prague and one of the main tourist centers of the country.

Brno was first mentioned in historical chronicles in the 11th century. Scientists believe that the name of the city comes from the common Slavic word “to defend. Indeed, until the 19th century Brno was of great importance in the defense of the south of the country.

Castle Spielberk

Špilberk Castle, Brno

This magnificent castle was built in the 13th century in the Gothic style. At first it was a royal residence. Over the centuries, the castle was repeatedly reconstructed and rebuilt, and by the early 17th century it had a baroque style.

During the Habsburg dynasty, when the city belonged to Austria, it was decided to organize in Spilberk a prison for particularly dangerous villains and criminals. So the castle until the mid-19th century became a prison for criminals.

And it gained fame as the most brutal prison of the entire Austrian Empire. And today it is one of the most popular monuments of history and architecture of the Middle Ages and Modern times.

Liberty Square

Freedom Square, Brno (Czech Republic)

It is the largest square in Brno appeared in the city in the 13th century. In medieval times it was the Market Square, around which were built houses of the local nobility, merchants and wealthy townspeople.

In Freedom Square the most important deals were made, the biggest events in the life of the city took place. In the 19th and 20th centuries, it was reconstructed in the Neo-Renaissance style, and became one of the most beautiful places to rest in Brno.

In the center of the square is the Plague Column, erected back in the mid-17th century, after the liberation of the city from the Swedish armies and the plague. There are also many historic and modern buildings and structures on Liberty Square.

Vegetable market

Vegetable Market, Brno

Beginning in the 13th century, a vegetable market was organized on this square. With the development of Brno, Baroque palaces were erected around the square. The market continues to function successfully today.

Here you can see the Parnassus Fountain, designed and built in the late 17th century, see a sculpture of the Goddess of Europe and three sculptures depicting Babylon, Greece and Persia, go to a cafe or restaurant, where you can taste the dishes of European cuisine.

Near the Vegetable Market in Brno you can also see ancient palaces, several famous Czech theaters, many magnificent sculpture groups: Holy Trinity, patrons of the city from the New Age, etc.

Old Town Hall

Old Town Hall - a historical landmark in Brno

The City Hall was built in Brno in the mid-13th century, it is one of the oldest buildings in the city. It has served the city for its direct purpose, as an organ of city government, for more than five hundred years.

Over the centuries, the Town Hall has been rebuilt many times, it has retained many architectural styles: Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, etc. Inside you can find a stuffed crocodile, which according to local legends used to be a real dragon.

The Old Town Hall was the seat of the court, other city organs, the city archives, the reception of guests, ambassadors, etc. Today it’s just a wonderful museum, and all the city bureaucrats have safely moved to the New Town Hall. Today it is just a wonderful museum, and all the city bureaucrats have safely moved to the New Town Hall.

The Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. Peter and Paul

St. Peter and Paul Cathedral, Brno

It is a Catholic church dedicated to the holy apostles and was built in the 11th-13th centuries. Originally it had a Romanesque, basilica-like structure, but after numerous rebuilds the cathedral bears a mix of neo-Gothic and Baroque.

The two towers of the cathedral were erected in the early 20th century. Today this iconic building is a valuable architectural monument and a historical landmark in Brno and the whole of Bohemia.

At present it is a functioning cathedral church, holds regular religious services, and belongs to the diocese of Brno.

The cathedral is a must-see for any tourist visiting Brno.

Capuchin Monastery

Capuchin Monastery, Brno

The most interesting thing in the monastery is the Crypt of the monks, where their mummies are located. Many rich and noble people of Brno were willing to give everything they had to go to this Crypt after their death, because it was believed that from there it was the direct way to heaven.

The Capuchins lived in their cells very modestly, and their temple was astonishingly luxurious: Baroque sculptures, paintings on the walls by famous artists, objects of gold for worship, etc.

Tourists are allowed to see the church and the tomb of the monks. In addition to the remains of the monks, you can see there the coffins in which lie the mummies of the noble families of Brno. A glass coffin with a mummy inside attracts special attention of tourists.

The Church of St. John the Baptist. Yakuba

St. Jakub's Church, Brno

The original Catholic cathedral was built in the 13th century in the traditional Romanesque style in the form of a basilica. Then it was rebuilt in the fashionable 14th century Gothic style, but the church was later demolished.

The modern church of St. John the Baptist. Jakub’s style is baroque. It has high windows and light walls, so there is always a lot of light in the temple. The church is active and is accessible to tourists during services.

A few years ago, a huge ossuary was discovered in the cellars of the church. Scientists estimate that it contains the bones of about 50,000 people. These are remains from a nearby medieval cemetery, which was being cleared of old graves.

Moravian Gallery

Moravian Gallery, Brno

This famous art gallery occupies five buildings and is considered to be the second most culturally important in the Czech Republic after the Prague National Gallery. In addition to paintings, you can see the ceramics, glass, textiles from the masters of the Czech Republic.

The gallery was born in the early 19th century. In the Governor’s Palace was a permanent exhibition – paintings and sculptures from the Gothic to the 19th century, performed by Italian, Dutch, Austrian, etc. masters.

In all, the gallery’s collection contains more than 6 million. copies. The most important works of art are on display at the Dietrichstein Palace. On its first floor, dedicated to the Gothic and Baroque, admission is free.

Museum of Gypsy Culture

Museum of Roma Culture, Brno

There are many Roma in Moravia, which is probably why the world’s first museum of Roma culture was opened in Brno in the early 21st century. The museum is very young, but its collection has many valuable exhibits.

On display here are many everyday items that villagers have been buying from gypsies for centuries – pet bells, ropes, baskets. This tradition still survives in the Balkans.

A separate room is devoted to the portrayal of Roma in European painting. The museum contains books, magazines, documents telling about the life of the Roma, their customs, traditions, legends and beliefs.

Observatory and Planetarium

Observatory and Planetarium, Brno

You can come here with children and have a great time all day. Here you will be helped to fly in space, see the microcosm, learn many secrets of life, get into the future, and experience a real scientific adventure.

The observatory and planetarium in Brno are centers for the popularization of science. First of all, it is astronomy, physics, chemistry, mathematics, geography, etc. This is not a scientific institution, knowledge is given in a simple and entertaining interactive form.

The observatory and planetarium have modern equipment. The digital planetarium will capture the imagination of every visitor, creating a model of outer space. Here you can get into the human body, underwater, microcosm, macrocosm, etc.

Magena Theater

Magena Theater, Brno (Czech Republic)

It is one of the main theatrical attractions in Brno and the entire Czech Republic. The theater building itself is magnificent, and the experimental theater productions created in it are very popular with Czechs and visitors to their country.

The Magena Theater was built and opened in the 1980s. Today it is one of the best architectural monuments in Brno in the neoclassical style, decorated with exquisite baroque decor.

The central part of the pediment of the theater building depicts Apollo with nymphs. The interior interiors are decorated in Baroque style, the ceiling is painted with frescoes and decorated with stucco. There are marble columns all around, the boxes are trimmed with red velvet.

Janacek Theater

Janáček Theater, Brno

This opera house is part of the National Theater in Brno: its opera stage, and is named after the famous Czech composer. The theater building was built in the 1960s and seats almost 1,400 spectators.

Moreover, the theater construction was planned since the early 20th century, in tenders participated many famous Czech and European architects, the projects were in a variety of architectural styles: Art Nouveau, Cubism, Social Realism, Classicism.

During its existence, the Janáček Theater has staged 20 operas and productions. His productions are a constant success with the audience.

We recommend tourists to visit this theater during their stay in Brno.

Moravian Karst

Moravian Karst - a natural landmark of the city of Brno

This is a famous reserve of karst caves, located a few tens of kilometers from Brno. Here you can enjoy not the architectural beauty, for which the city and the whole Czech Republic is so famous, but the wonderful nature of Moravia.

Moravian Karst has a well-developed tourist infrastructure, there are many signs and information centers, you can get professional guide services. Children, the elderly, and the disabled feel fine in the reserve.

There are more than 1,000 caves in the Moravian Karst, but only five can be explored. The most interesting attraction is the Macocha Abyss, the deepest in Europe. The caves have stalactites, stalagmites, unusual and rare flora and fauna, etc.

Veveří Castle

Veveří Castle, Brno

This castle is an architectural monument of the early Middle Ages, it is located a few kilometers from Brno, near the local reservoir. The Veveří Castle was built by Prince Conrad I in the middle of the 11th century.

Later it was repeatedly expanded and strengthened, becoming an important administrative center of Moravia. In the 19th century, the castle was bought by the Greek banker von Sina, an English park appeared around the Veveří, and the castle itself was restored.

In the 20th century the castle became a national treasure of the Czech Republic, during the war it was badly destroyed. Its reconstruction began only in the 21st century, and it continues today. Veveří is a favorite tourist attraction on the outskirts of Brno.

Slavkov Castle

Slavkov Castle, Brno

The town of Slavkov near Brno was called Austerlitz until the early 20th century. Slavkov Fortress was founded in the late 12th century by the Teutonic Knights, but was later lost by them. Then the fortress changed hands many times until it fell to the Kaunitzes.

The Kaunitzis owned the fortress for nearly four hundred years, which allowed the city to develop significantly. The Kaunitzis built the Town Hall and many Renaissance houses there. Slavkov Fortress turned into a magnificent castle, today it is a national monument.

The town and the fortress are famous for the fact that around them in the early 19th century there was the Battle of Austerlitz or Battle of the Emperors, which resulted in the personal presence of the emperors of Russia, Austria, and France concluded a truce in the castle Slavkov.

The grave of peace

The Peace Memorial in Brno

After the battle of Austerlitz, a Peace Mound was erected on the battlefield where all the fallen were buried. This memorial does not praise the victory, it commemorates those who died in the great battle, and on both sides that fought.

In 2005, the 200th anniversary of the battle was widely celebrated in the Czech Republic. In Slavkov Castle there was a large exposition of documents and other unique exhibits collected from museums, archives, collections of the Czech Republic and foreign countries.

In the castle tourists can see the hall where the peace agreement was signed between the emperors after the battle, as well as the balcony from which Napoleon Bonaparte addressed his troops after the victory over his enemies: the Russian and Austrian empires.

Video overview of Brno sights

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