Tips for Trips: Welcome to Ostrava!

With its area and a total population of 300,000, the capital of the Moravian-Silesian Region is the third-largest city of the Czech Republic. Ostrava is located 10 kilometers south of the Polish and 50 kilometers west of the Slovak border. It is considered one of the greenest cities in the Czech Republic (approx. 30 meters of green area per inhabitant). Ostrava is also an important economic & cultural center. Many jobs have been created involving sectors such as IT, outsourcing industries, and over 30,000 students are studying at universities in Ostrava. 

Here are several tips to be followed & attractions to be visited in Ostrava:

Colors of Ostrava 

Colors of Ostrava is an early multi-genre international music festival held in Ostrava. The first festival took place in 2002. Nowadays it is one of the biggest festivals in Central Europe and the most awaited summer festival in the Czech Republic. In 2019, 130 bands from 31 countries performed on 24 stages. This year the festival saw major changes in the agenda because of Coronavirus.  

Church of the Immaculate Conception of Virgin Mary

Svatopluk Čech Square near the main railway station is dominated by the Church of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary. The church has a cruciform nave incorporating a long oval rotunda. The original plans included a cupola above the nave, but this idea was eventually abandoned, mainly due to financial constraints. The facade of the church is flanked by slim Gothic towers 67 meters in height.

Observation Tower of the New City Hall

Ostrava New City Hall, built between 1925 and 1930, represents the largest city hall complex in the Czech Republic. Its 85.6 meters high observation tower is the highest town hall tower in the country. 

The observation deck is located at a height of 73 meters and offers a beautiful view of the whole city. From this altitude, you can even see Poland 🙂 The ticket price is 60 CZK and it includes a guided tour on the top! I recommend checking their official website for more information about opening hours & price reductions!

DID YOU KNOW? OSTRAVA!!! is the marketing symbol the city presents to the public in the Czech Republic and abroad. The heraldic emblem (coat-of-arms) of the city will be used exceptionally during official occasions. The image of the logo is formed by the name of the city with three exclamation marks, which symbolize the vitality, energy, and confidence of the city and its inhabitants. 

Evangelical Church of Christ

The Church was built in the early twentieth century in only two years. Today, people from Ostrava nicknamed it “Červený” (“Red”). It is one of the dominant features of the city center. The church frequently hosts concerts, such as those during the time of the Festival v ulicích, due to its excellent acoustics.

Cathedral of the Divine Saviour

The Cathedral of the Holy Saviour is an important landmark of the past and present generations of people from Ostrava. It was built during the years of 1883-1889 in the Neo-Renaissance style. The overall length of the building is 68 meters. Above the cathedral, two symmetrical frontal towers are 67 meters high. The cathedral has an indoor capacity of 4000 people. 

The building of the cathedral is a three-aisled basilica, ending with a half-round apse. The main aisle is 14 meters wide and 22 meters high. It was consecrated by the archbishop of Olomouc and became a cathedral when the diocese of Ostrava and Opava was established. 

I hope these attractions will make you discover more about the culture of the Czech Republic. 

Find out more tips for trips in the Czech Republic on our blog. If you are planning to move to the Czech Republic, don’t hesitate to contact us. We have an office right in Ostrava!

Photo credit: Jakob Bartošík