Moravia
We’ve compiled the best of the best in Moravia - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
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1. Uměleckoprůmyslové muzeum
Arts and crafts shine in this museum, which is without a doubt the Czech Republic's best venue to see applied arts. It has an assemblage of artifacts far more extensive than the truncated collection in Prague's museum of the same name. The collection includes Gothic and art nouveau pieces, as well as an excellent, comprehensive overview of Bohemian and Moravian glass. Keep an eye out for the elegant furniture from Josef Hoffmann's Wiener Werkstätte (Vienna Workshop). Milan Knížák's jagged, candy-color table provides a striking example of contemporary work.
Husova 14, Brno, South Moravian, Czech Republic532–169–111Sight Details
Rate Includes: Permanent exhibits free, temporary exhibits vary, Closed Mon. and Tues. -
2. 10-Z Fallout Shelter
A Cold War–era relic, this highly classified (hence the "10-Z" code name) shelter was designed to protect the political elite of the region in the event of a nuclear attack. Built during the Nazi occupation in World War II as a bomb shelter, between 1945 and 1948 it was used by a wine wholesaler, after which it served as a secret shelter until 1989. Up to 500 people could have stayed inside if needed, but fortunately no one had to. It was declassified and opened to the public in 2015. There is an exhibition about the Cold War at the entrance with English text. Guided group tours of the whole complex with a flashlight (provided) take place as well, with some at night. On the tour you can see underground offices, a phone switchboard, heavy doors, and other curious infrastructure. The entrance is across the street from Husova 12. Tour tickets are available at the Tourist Information Center at Panenská 1.
Husova, Brno, South Moravian, Czech RepublicSight Details
Rate Includes: Tours from 180 Kč, Closed Mon. -
3. Chrám sv. Petra a Pavla
Best admired from a distance, the silhouette of slim neo-Gothic twin spires—added in the 20th century—give the cathedral a touch of Gothic dignity. Up close, the interior is light and tasteful but hardly mind-blowing. The treasury and tower can be visited for a fee. The crypt can be visited on request if it is closed. This is the church pictured on the face of the 10 Kč coin.
Petrov at Petrská ul., Brno, South Moravian, Czech RepublicSight Details
Rate Includes: Free; treasury and tower 40 Kč, Tower closed Sun. May–Sept.; crypt closed weekdays Oct.–Apr. and Sun.–Fri. May–Sept. -
4. Hrad Špilberk
Once among the most feared places in the Habsburg Empire, this fortress-cum-prison still broods over Brno behind menacing walls. The castle's advantageous location brought the early lords of the city, who moved here during the 13th century from neighboring Petrov Hill. Successive rulers gradually converted the old castle into a virtually impregnable fortress. It withstood the onslaughts of Hussites, Swedes, and Prussians over the centuries; only Napoléon, in 1809, succeeded in occupying the fortress. But the castle's fame comes from its gruesome history as a prison for enemies of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy and later for the Nazis' prisoners during World War II. The hardest offenders were shackled day and night in dank, dark catacombs and fed only bread and water. The castle complex is large, and the various parts generally require separate admission. The casemates (passages within the walls of the castle) have been turned into an exhibition of the late-18th-century prison and their Nazi-era use as an air-raid shelter. You can see the entire castle grounds as well as the surrounding area from the observation tower. Aboveground, a museum in the fortress starts off with more displays on the prison era with detailed English texts. Included in the tour of the museum are exhibitions of objects from Brno's history and art from the Renaissance to modern times from the city's collection. Admission and opening hours vary according to what you want to see and where you want to go, that is, the entire complex, various combinations of exhibits, or individual castle sections.
Špilberk 1, Brno, South Moravian, Czech Republic542–123–611Sight Details
Rate Includes: From 60 Kč, Closed Mon. Oct.–Mar. -
5. Kostel Nalezení sv. Kříže
Formerly part of the Capuchin Monastery, the Church of the Holy Cross combines a baroque form with a rather stark façade. Enter the krypta (crypt) in the basement, and the mummified remains of some 200 nobles and monks from the late 17th and 18th centuries are displayed, ingeniously preserved by a natural system of air circulating through vents and chimneys. The best-known mummy is Col. František Trenck, commander of the brutal Pandour regiment of the Austrian army, who, at least in legend, spent several years in the dungeons of Spielberg Castle before finding his final rest here in 1749. A note of caution about the crypt: the graphic displays can be frightening to children (and even some adults), so ask at the admission desk for a small brochure with pictures that preview what's to come, or look at the postcards for sale. Locals refer to the building simply as the Capuchin Church.
Kapucínské nám. 5, Brno, South Moravian, Czech Republic511–140–053Sight Details
Rate Includes: 120 Kč, photography fee 30 Kč -
Recommended Fodor’s Video
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6. Kostnice u sv. Jakuba
Several basement rooms in the tunnels next to the St. James Church are filled with neatly stacked bones, making it one of the largest ossuaries in Europe. Sealed up since the late 1700s, its contents were unearthed in 2001 and were cleaned after years of neglect before being opened to the public in 2012. Remains of some 50,000 people are estimated to be in the rooms, including victims of plagues, epidemics, and wars from the 13th to 18th centuries. It is much larger than the famous ossuary in Kutná Hora in Central Bohemia, which has bones in decorative designs. At one of the upper windows of the church, as seen from the street, there is a sculpture of a monk exposing his backside toward a rival church across town.
Jakubské nám., Brno, South Moravian, 602 00, Czech Republic515–919–793Sight Details
Rate Includes: 160 Kč, video fee 50 Kč, Closed Mon. -
7. Labyrint pod Zelným trhem
Some 2,296 feet of underground passages are filled with exhibits relating to alchemy, medicine, medieval punishment, and the more mundane aspects of life—like storing wine. Some of the old passages were rediscovered in the 1970s and have undergone years of archeological research before opening to the public in 2011. Unfortunately, explanatory plaques are only in Czech.
Zelný trh 21, Brno, South Moravian, Czech Republic542–212–892Sight Details
Rate Includes: 180 Kč, video fee 50 Kč, Closed Mon. -
8. Místodržitelský palác
Moravia's strong artistic ties to Austria can be seen in the impressive collection of painting and sculpture found in this splendid palace. The museum is divided into sections, but the most impressive part—art from the Gothic period to the 19th century—is on the first floor. The short-term exhibits are often a bit disappointing.
Moravské nám. 1A, Brno, South Moravian, Czech Republic532–169–333Sight Details
Rate Includes: Permanent exhibits free, temporary exhibits vary, Closed Mon. and Tues. -
9. Muzeum romské kultury
A small but singular museum devoted to the culture of the Roma, as Gypsies prefer to be called, is halfway between Brno's historical center and the high-rise housing projects. To foster cross-cultural understanding (as Roma people are often the victims of discrimination), this museum is dedicated to their culture and history. Exhibits deal with traditional occupations, dress, and lifestyles. A study room has documents and photographs.
Bratislavská 67, Brno, South Moravian, Czech Republic545–581–206Sight Details
Rate Includes: Main exhibit 80 Kč, temporary exhibits free, Closed Mon. -
10. Náměstí Svobody
The best place to start any walking tour, this is the focal point of the city and a centerpiece for the massive effort to modernize the area. The square underwent extensive renovation in 2006, and adjoining streets feature some of the city's best shopping. Anyone who has been to Vienna might experience déjà vu here, as many of the buildings were designed by 19th-century Austrian architects. Especially noteworthy is the stolid Klein Palace at No. 15, built by Theophil Hansen and Ludwig Foerster, both prominent for their work on Vienna's Ringstrasse. A highly controversial clock—it's supposed to look like a bullet and remind people of a battle that happened in 1645—was added in 2010; most people, however, say it looks more like—ahem—a sex toy than a bullet. Also, you need a pamphlet to explain how to read the time on it. The clock drops a glass ball on the hour, which people try to catch.
Brno, South Moravian, Czech Republic -
11. Pražákův palác
The largest collection of modern and contemporary Czech art outside of Prague lines the walls of this handsome, 19th-century neo-Renaissance building. If you've already seen these same artists represented in Prague's major galleries, you may be tempted to adopt a been-there-done-that attitude. But the emphasis here is on Moravian artists, who tended to prefer rural themes—their avant-garde concoctions have a certain folksy flavor. Modern and contemporary art is on the second floor; other sections have temporary exhibits.
Husova 18, Brno, South Moravian, Czech Republic725–097–374Sight Details
Rate Includes: Permanent exhibits free, temporary exhibits vary, Closed Mon. and Tues. -
12. Stará radnice
Just inside the door of the oldest secular building in Brno, dating to the 13th century, are the remains of two famous Brno legends, the Brno Dragon and the wagon wheel. The dragon—actually an alligator—apparently turned up at the town walls one day in the 17th century and began eating children and livestock. As the story goes, a gatekeeper came up with the idea of stuffing a freshly slaughtered goat with limestone. The dragon devoured the goat, swallowing the limestone as well, and when it drank at a nearby river, the water mixed with the limestone and burst the dragon's stomach (the scars on the preserved dragon's stomach are still clearly visible). The story of the wagon wheel, on the other hand, concerns a bet placed some 400 years ago that a young wheelwright, JiřÌ Birek, couldn't chop down a tree, form the wood into a wheel, and roll it from his home at Lednice (53 km [33 miles] away) to the town walls of Brno—all between sunup and sundown. The wheel stands as a lasting tribute to his achievement. (The townspeople, however, became convinced that JiřÌ had enlisted the help of the devil to win the bet, so they stopped frequenting his workshop; poor JiřÌ died penniless.) No longer the seat of the town government, the Old Town Hall holds exhibitions and performances and the town's tourist information office. To find out what's on, ask in the information center just inside Pilgram's portal. The view from the top of the tower is one of the best in Brno, but the climb (five flights) is strenuous.
Radnická 8, Brno, South Moravian, Czech RepublicSight Details
Rate Includes: Tower 90 Kč, Tower closed Jan.–Mar. -
13. Villa Tugendhat
Designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and completed in 1930, this austere, white Bauhaus villa counts among the most important works of the modern period and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Function and the use of geometric forms are emphasized. The Tugendhat family fled before the Nazis, and their original furnishings vanished. Replicas of Mies's cool, functional designs have been installed in the downstairs living area. Some of the original exotic wood paneling and an onyx screen remain in place. The best way to get there is to take a taxi or Tram 3, 5, or 11 to the Dětská nemocnice stop and then walk up unmarked Černopolní ulice for 10 minutes or so; you'll be able to see the modernist structure up on the hill. Reservations for tours are highly recommended at least three months in advance and can be made online. Holders of the Brnopas have access to a limited number of last-minute tickets at the Tourist Information Center at Panenská 1 and can skip to the front of the line at the villa. The extended tour shows some of the building's infrastructure.
Černopolní 45, Brno, South Moravian, Czech Republic515–511–015Sight Details
Rate Includes: Extended tour 450 Kč, outside tour 150 Kč, Closed Mon. -
14. Zelný trh
Only in this Cabbage Market could Brno begin to look like a typical Czech town—not just for the many stands from which farmers still sell vegetables but also for the flamboyant Parnassus Fountain that adorns its center. This baroque outburst (inspiring a love-it-or-hate-it reaction) couldn't be more out of place amid the formal elegance of most of the buildings on the square. But when Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach created the fountain in the late 17th century, it was important for a striving town like Brno to display its understanding of the classics and of ancient Greece. Therefore Hercules slays a three-headed dragon, and Amphitrite awaits the arrival of her lover—all incongruously surrounded by farmers hawking turnips and onions. What could be more Czech?
Brno, South Moravian, Czech Republic
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