Would you like to discover more about the culture of the Czech Republic and visit its representative destinations, but you are not sure which cities are worth visiting? We definitely recommend to include Brno on your list! Where is it located? Which beautiful spots are not yet discovered by tourists? When is the most appropriate time to visit Brno? You can find the answers to these questions and many other tips for an amazing trip to Brno in this blog post.
Brno is accessible to everyone! Why?
Brno is considered to be the political and cultural representative of South Moravia and the second-largest city of the Czech Republic (after Prague). Brno is a year-round destination that guarantees a rich program of events, attractions, and experiences. Due to its dynamism, every citizen or tourist can find entertainment in this city. For the ones seeking adrenaline, Brno hosts motorsport races held on the Masaryk Circuit during the summer. The annual Czech Republic motorcycle Grand Prix is considered to be the most noticeable event of the circuit. Another cultural tradition attracting thousands of visitors, Ignis Brunensis, is an international firework competition held annually at the end of May and beginning of June, for 2 weeks. Each firework show lasts around 22 minutes and due to the local museums and castles participation, the spectators are allowed to watch the ceremony from the cities’ rooftops. This year, people from Brno will have the chance to witness Ignis Brunensis in September as it was postponed due to the Coronavirus situation.
What is special about Brno?
Despite the urban character, Brno managed to preserve its local Moravian folklore, which is defined by folk music, dancing events, festivals, and wine. Besides this, Brno has dozens of historical sites, monuments, and national cultural symbols of the Czech Republic. Most of them are located in the historical part of the city. Back in the 13th century, the capital of Moravia was hosting a Jewish community settling in this place. Besides the synagogues and the Jewish cemetery (located 2,5 km far from Brno), a contemporary proof of the Jewish settlement is represented by the architectural jewel of Brno – Villa Tugendhat (designated the “World Heritage Site” by UNESCO).
One day in Brno… What to visit?
If you only have one day in Brno, we would recommend focusing mainly on the historical city center. Below you can find a list of tips for visiting the most important tourist attractions:
Špilberk Castle & Špilberk Park
Ever since it was built in the 13th century, Špilberk Castle’s role has been changing over time. Newly constructed, it was meant to protect the Czech territory. During the 17th-18th century, the castle became a huge military fortress and after that, it was transformed into jail for serious criminals and political prisoners from the countries throughout the Austro-Hungarian Empire. In the middle of the 19th century, the castle served as military barracks, but during both World Wars, it again functioned as a jail. Nowadays it represents the most important historical monument of Brno available for public visits.
Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral
The Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul is located on Petrov hill in the historical center. It is a national cultural monument and one of the most important pieces of architecture in South Moravia. The interior is decorated in baroque style, while the impressive 84-meter-high towers were constructed according to the Gothic Revival designs. This cathedral is also pictured on the Czech ten Koruna coin.
Church of St. James & The Brno Ossuary
Another important monument dating since the 13th century is Saint James’ Church. Initially, it embodied the Baroque interior style, but during the 19th century, due to major reconstructions, it was radically transformed into the Gothic style. There is a famous legend connected with the construction of this church. The legend says that on one of the window arches from the south side of the church you could see the naked body of a man-statue oriented in the direction of Saint Peter and Paul’s cathedral. It all arises from a competition between the two churches to build the higher tower. The bottom directed towards Petrov means that Saint James’s church won the competition, because its tower is 94 m high, whereas Petrov tower is about 10 m lower. Another (underneath) attached part of this building constitutes the Ossuary at the Church of St. James. It was discovered just in 2001 due to some archaeological exploration and it is considered that the ossuary contained the remains of 50,000 people.
Brno Astronomical Clock
The story of this monument is connected to the historical event which took place during the last stage of the Thirty Years War (1645). The City of Brno became famous when it managed to counter a siege by the previously undefeated Swedish army. The Swedes sieged the city for nearly 3 months. While facing a stalemate, the Swedish general announced that they would withdraw if the city did not fall by noon. As a consequence, the local people of Brno decided to turn the clock to read noon an hour early, at 11 o’clock.
The Brno Astronomical Clock symbolizes the historic victory of that time. Each day at 11 AM, the monument releases a stream of glass marbles that spectators can keep as souvenirs. The noon bell, traditionally, still rings an hour earlier every day.
More information about the monuments, legends, historical places and museums from Brno you can find here:
Brno is an extremely energetic and active city. It moves and inspires people of any age not only through its extraordinary sites but also the great local cafes which boost people up. If you need to boost yourself with caffeine look at our tips for great local coffee places.
Do you want to relocate to Brno so you can enjoy its beauty every day? Contact us and we will help you out!
