Itinerary
BRNO
Brno is the second largest city in the Czech
Republic with ca 400.000 inhabitants. It is a
significant commercial, cultural and social centre
located directly in the hart of a wine-growing
region of South Moravia. First written documents
mentioning Brno date back to 1091. Brno was always
an important trading crossroad for journeys from
Baltic to the Adriatic Sea and from West to the
East. The silhouette of Brno is highlighted by the
Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul and the Špilberk
fortress from the 13th century. Among famous
personalities attached to Brno there were, for
instance, the composer Leoš Janáček, the scientist
Johann Gregor Mendel, the inventor of water turbine
Kaplan, architects Loos and Fuchs and many others.
Brno is also seat of the Constitutional Court of the
Czech Republic and the site of many universities and
colleges.
As Brno is situated in the hart of Southern Moravia
and there are also very good plain connections with
the Brno airport we would like to introduce to you
some of the possible excursions in the area of Brno.
Out of the selection it is possible to combine the
excursions into different packages according to your
or your clients wishes, into a Short Brake stays, 5
or 7 days stays or even to a Tour stays combined
with the Slovak Republic.
Option 1: Discover Brno and its beauties.
The Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul is located on
the top of this hill, known as Petrov, on the
presumed site of the former Brno castle (including a
chapel) that dates from the 11th and 12th centuries.
After the castles demise the freestanding Romanesque
basilica was rebuilt as a Gothic cathedral in the
13th century, further modified in the 15th and 16th
centuries, and converted to the Baroque style in the
18th century. Its current neo-Gothic form dates from
the turn of this century. Since 1777 the cathedral
has been the seat of the Brno bishopric. The
original church crypt from the 12th century is now
accessible to visitors.
The Mahen theatre was
built from July 1881 to October 1882 according to
the design of the Viennese architects F. Fellner and
H. Hellmer with sculptures by T. Friedl. It was the
first theatre in Central Europe to be illuminated
with Edison's light bulbs.
The Baroque Parnas
fountain was built in 1690-95 on the site of a
Renaissance fountain from 1597 to a design by Johann
Bernhard Fischer of Erlach. The cave was built by
Adam Tobiáš of Vienna and the sculptural decoration
is the work of A. Rigi, A. T. Kracker and an unknown
Italian sculptor. It is the most valuable piece of
Baroque sculpture in Brno; an isolated example of
Baroque naturalism and illusion of considerable
dramatic force. In the centre of the fountain is
built a three-sided craggy rock.
Špilberk castle
was built in the first half of the 13th century on
top of a hill bearing the same name. The original
building often changed hands and the medieval part
was later rebuilt. In the 18th century Špilberk was
transformed into an enormous Baroque fort, which
also became a feared prison, with the casemates
being particularly notorious. It became the place of
grim, lengthy suffering for French revolutionaries,
Italian coronary, and adherents of the Young Italy
movement as well as Czech political prisoners. The
prison was also a place of terror during the Second
World War. Since 1961 Špilberk has been a museum
under the administration of Bmo city and is used for
exhibition purposes. The former prison cells and
casemates are also open for viewing.
The Tugendhat
Villa stands on land, which was given to Greta
Tugendhat as a wedding gift by her father. The
Tugendhats came from a family of well-known textile
entrepreneurs, and they lived in the house until
1938, when the family was forced to flee to
Switzerland, and subsequently Venezuela, in order to
escape the Nazis. The villa was requisitioned by the
Gestapo, and was damaged during the course of the
war. After 1945 it was used for a short while as a
school of rhythmic, following which it became the
rehabilitation centre for the university children’s
hospital. In 1969 the villa became the property of
the city. From 1982 until 1985 it underwent partial
restoration, during which all the unwanted changed
that had been added later were removed, and the
building was preserved for future use as a protected
monument. The villa went on to be used for special
civic occasions, and in 1992 talks were held in the
building on the division of the Czechoslovak state.
The Tugendhat Villa in Černá Pole, Brno, was met
with great acclaim and interest even when it was
newly-built and its fame has grown with time. The
Tugendhat Villa in Brno, the most prominent
completed European work of its creator, has become
one of the milestones in the history of world 20th
century architecture. Its importance was recognised
in 2001 by its inclusion amongst the UNESCO World
Cultural Heritage Sites.
Option 2: Full day
trip to “Moravský Kras”
Moravský kras (Karst); is
picturesque area located north from Brno. This area
is one of most important Karsts regions in Middle
Europe. At the area 100 km2 is located over 1000
caves. In the north area is located largest cave
system at the Czech republic with length of
corridors over 21km. One of the most interesting
attractions is boat trip to gorge „Macocha“ and
underground of the Karst. With this 1-hour length
boat trip on the underground river „Punkva“ is
possible to visit cave system with its corridors and
underground halls with rich stalactites.
“Perštejn” Castle; is one of the best-preserved
gothic castles in the Czech Republic. Lords
Pernštejn founded the castle in 13th century. During
15th and 16th century was castle reconstructed and
its late gothic barriers are one of the most massive
in Czech Republic. Since this times the castle
stayed almost untouched of any changes and
reconstructions. In the present time are interiors
equipped with contemporary furniture. Entrance hall,
Library, knightly hall, kitchen, dungeon.
Option
3: Full day trip to “Morava a Slovacko”
Bata
Canal; water tourism is rear in the Czech Republic.
The Bata Canal is an exception, which is definitely
worth a visit – a historical water route along the
Morava River, with an artificial canal. A technical
and natural monument, built on the Morava River
between 1934-38, for agricultural irrigation and
shipping freight, is now navigable from Otrokovice
to Sudoměřice, at the original length of 53 km, with
thirteen locks. The canal was not used for dozens of
years, and tourist rides were only renewed in 1995.
Straznice; This well-known South Moravian town is
famous for its wine and its folklore festival. It
also attracts tourists who want to see its sights.
One can visit the Jewish quarter with its unique
ritual baths and remnants of the Jewish community
also include the Classicist synagogue, surrounded on
three sides by a cemetery, which is unique in
Moravia. You will also be charmed by the unique
Strážnice gates, remnants of the once fortified
town. In addition there is St. Martin´s Church with
its tower, the chateau, and, above all, the
Strážnice skansen.
Nowadays, Strážnice is known
especially because of the local festivals of
folklore, which take place at the turn of June and
July every year. The visit of the local open-air
museum, castle or museum is certainly a big
attraction for tourists.
Petrov - Plže; The
protected monument area of the wine cellars in
Petrov - Plže is one of the most valuable and oldest
collections of folk architecture in the Czech
Republic. The wine cellars are arranged like streets
and two semicircular areas serve as the underground
town squares. There is no aboveground component to
them, and according to sources they already existed
in the 15th century.
Here is possible to have wine
tasting.
Option 4: Full day trip to “Lednice –
Valtice Grounds”
Both chateaux and the vast area
with many small architectural objects are connected
with the name of one of the mightiest European
families whose family members gained fame in the
Glorious Wars and received honours as leading
clergymen. As early as in the 13th century, the
Lichtensteins’ bonds to this region were
established. In the 17th century, Valtice become the
family’s formal residence; Lednice, as a summer
chateau.
Lednice-Valtice Cultural Landscape was
inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1996.
It is the largest composed landscape in Europe. The
important historical and artistic landscape is
located between two towns - Lednice and Valtice. The
area abounds with ponds and parks where romantic
buildings are located - Apollonuv Chram, Belveder,
Hranicni zamecek, chram Tri gracii, Januv hrad,
kaple sv. Huberta, kolonada na Rajstne, Lovecky
zamecek, minaret, Novy dvur, obelisk, Rendes-vous,
Rybnicni zamecek, Lany, Pohansko (zamecek = little
castle, chram = temple).
This remarkable area was
developed between the ends of the 18th century till
the half of the 19th century by the owners - the
Liechtenstein’s family. Many famous architects
helped to shape the Baroque complex e.g. C.
Tencalla, D. Martinelli, J.B.Fischer von Erlach and
J. Ospel. The castle area covers 250 square km
South-East of Brno.
The Lednice Castle - built in
the English Tudor's Gothic style - is a masterpiece
of romantic architecture and also one of the most
visited sights in the Czech Republic. The Lednice
Castle is surrounded by beautiful Baroque park, with
romantic buildings and ponds with artificial islands
(boat cruises available). The Palm Green House from
the 19th century, which was reconstructed lately, is
the oldest building of its type in Europe.
The
rooms open to the public in the manor's ground floor
stand out, namely due to the carved decorations. All
the rooms are magnificent, but most of all the
library, with its splendid fusiform stairs and
imposing entrance hall with beautiful ceilings and
lower facings of Turquoise, Red, and Blue Shows.
Not far from the Lednice manor, on the left bank of
the Dyje River, a wonderful structure, called Janův
Hrad, was founded after 1801. The architect, Josef
Hardmuth, drafted the project. The exterior of this
structure, originally conceived as a hunting lodge,
imitates a medieval ruin, in accordance with the
then touch for romance. The building plan consists
of four-corner tower like formations marking off a
square space. The frontal wing interior, decorated
with ornamental mural paintings, contrast sharply
with the object's external appearance.
A perfect
frame for the manor is the French garden and its
vast provincial park, one of the largest in the
Czech Republic. There are many noteworthy decorative
constructions within it, for instance the Temple of
the Three Graces, the Temple of Apollon and several
other structures. There is a graceful minaret
protruding from the rich park green within a sight
of the manor. This minaret is a singular
architectonic monument, constructed based on the
design of Josef Hardmuth in 1797 - 1804.
The
Valtice Castle; The double-story baroque castle has
a closed central and four-wing layout, encompassing
four courtyards. It is situated diagonally, with its
entrance portal aiming northeastward. On the north
side, underneath the castle, the ground floor and
single-story buildings of the stable and riding
school were newly built. The Spanish Stable with its
state separated grotesque statues as well as the
Winter Riding School survived. Both are now used to
accommodate various social events, encompassing the
courtyard of honour.
Option 5: Full day trip to
“Slavkov – Austerlitz & Buchlov - Buchlovice”
Slavkov near Brno is another name for Austerlitz,
world-known as the battlefield where Napoleon
defeated the combined armies of the Russian and
Austrian Empires on December 2, 1805. The Baroque
chateau seen here was mainly the work of Italians.
It was designed by the Lucca architect, Domenico
Martinelli; the sculpture was mostly the work of
Goivanni Giuliani; the interiors, as well as the
frescos and plaster work, were done by Andrey
Lanzani and Santino Bussi. Beginning at the turn of
the 18th century, the chateau was over 60 years in
the making.
Austerlitz (Mound of Peace). The
memorial has been erected at the site of the bloody
"battle of three emperors" which took place on the
2nd of December, 1805 near Slavkov, better known in
Europe under the German name Austerlitz. Here, the
French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte defeated the
numerically superior Austrian-Prussian army led by
the Austrian emperor Franz II and the Russian czar
Alexander I. All combating parties signed a truce at
the castle of Slavkov on 6th of December. The Mound
of Peace in Praka on the Slavkov battlefield was
built according to the project drafted by J. Fanta
during 1910 - 1911.
Buchlov; surrounded by the
beautiful Buchlov Hills, the fortified Buchlov
castle, founded in the 13th century, rises on one of
the hilltops; the castels chapel was built by the
Prague Workshop in the manner of St. Chapelle in the
royal castle in Paris.
The chateau in Buchlovice;
located in a valley, was built by the owners of the
Buchlov castle at that time in order to obtain a
more comfortable lifestyle that would correspond
more with the style of the time. The chateau, built
in 1710 in the manner of Italian residential villas,
is surrounded by gardens. Its large English Park
represents one of the most important dendrological
collections in the Czech Republic; hundreds of
beautiful Fuchsia species are waiting to be admired
in the chateau greenhouse.
The furnishings and
stucco decoration of the manor interiors are in
harmony with its exterior picturesqueness. We are
sure of this upon seeing the small picture of the
central hall. The whole premises are surrounded by
beautiful gardens and parks with many domestic and
exotic plants.