Brno.
After Prague, the second-largest city in the Czech Republic, Brno is the seat of the Constitutional Court of the Czech Republic as well as other judiciary institutions.
Located in the southeast of the republic, in fact two hours away from Prague, it is the center of the province of Moravia. Brno is a vibrant city unwilling to live in Prague’s shadow judging from the countless museums, galleries, theaters and shopping possibilities. Needless to say, it is full of historic sites, too.
Alongside traditional architecture, functionalist buildings pop up in the city’s scene; the most prominent representative of which, also appearing on the UNESCO’s World Cultural Heritage list, is the Tugendhat Villa. The villa was planned by famous Bauhaus artist and architect Mies van der Rohe in 1929/30 and is considered a milestone of modernist architecture.
Situated upon a hill, hence granting a pretty view over the city, Špilberk Castle has become a popular destination for excursions with the Brno population and tourists alike. Subject of a vivid history, Špilberk Castle was built in the 13th century, became the seat of the Moravian margraves in the 14th century, and has since been turned into huge baroque fortress, later into the heaviest prison in the Austro-Hungarian empire and finally into a place for exhibitions today.
Another example of a dramatic make-over is the Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul. On the top of Petrov hill, the now Neo-Gothic church is situated at the presumed site of the former Brno castle dating back to 11th and 12th century. Back then, part of the castle was a free-standing Romanesque basilica which was after the destruction of the castle rebuilt as a Gothic cathedral in the 13th century. After further modification in the following centuries, the building was converted into Baroque style in the 18th century. The Neo-Gothicism of today was completed at the turn of the last century, making the church an interesting example for architectural change.
Villa Tugendhat
Černopolní 45
Brno
Phone: 545 212 118
Link: Villa Tugendhat…
Špilberk Castle
Špilberk 1
Brno
Phone: 542 123 611 and 542 123 612
Link: Špilberk Castle …
For further numerous suggestions on what to do in Brno, please see the city’s website.
Link: Brno Official Website…