7 Best Sights in Moravia, Czech Republic

One of Moravia's most impressive castles, 30 km (18 miles) west of Olomouc, has been featured in several fairy-tale films. Its present romanticized exterior comes from a remodeling at the turn of the 20th century, but the basic structure dates back to the 1300s. Owned by the Order of Teutonic Knights from the late 1600s up to the end of World War II, it was later confiscated by the state. Inside, the knights' hall has extensive carved-wood decorations and wall paintings that look old, even if many are reconstructions. Other rooms have collections of period furniture. The castle kitchen, which was used until 1945, is one of the best-preserved examples. The castle offers several tours, some aimed at children and one that shows off the wedding hall and knights' hall. You can easily arrange a tour from the tourist information office in Olomouc; the castle is included in the Olomouc Region Card.

The Château Lednice na Moravé, 12 km (7 miles) east of Mikulov, is a must-see. The dining room alone, with resplendent blue-and-green silk wall coverings embossed with the Moravian eagle, makes the visit memorable. The grounds have a 200-foot-tall minaret and a massive greenhouse filled with exotic flora. The minaret halls have been recently restored. A horse-drawn carriage ride and a romantic boat ride are available and are a great way to see the grounds. The absolute splendor of the palace and gardens contrasts sharply with the workaday reality of the town of Lednice. Tickets can be bought online to save time.

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.

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.

This Gothic castle was transformed into a refined Renaissance château by Italian masters between 1553 and 1568. Grouped in a complex with the former Jesuit college and Kostel sv. Jakuba (Church of St. James), the castle was built during the 14th century, perhaps by King John of Luxembourg, the father of Charles IV. In season you can tour the castle and admire the rich Renaissance interiors. The chastising sgraffito relief in the dining room depicting gluttony (in addition to the six other deadly sins) seems oddly placed. Other interesting rooms with sgraffiti include the Treasury, the Armory, and the Blue and Gold Chambers. There are two tours: the first, Tour A, goes through the Renaissance chambers and is available in English; the second, Tour B, displays the rooms that were used as recently as 1945 but is available only in Czech. The castle basement and gardens are also accessible.

The château holds the Regionální Muzeum (Regional Museum), exhibiting period furniture and local wine-making items, including a remarkable wine cask, made in 1643, with a capacity of more than 22,000 gallons. Built as the Gothic-era residence of the noble Liechtenstein family in the 13th century, this château later served as the residence of the powerful Dietrichsteins. Napoléon Bonaparte also stayed here in 1805 while negotiating peace terms with the Austrians after winning the Battle of Austerlitz (Austerlitz is now known as Slavkov, near Brno). Sixty-one years later, Bismarck used the castle to sign a peace treaty with Austria. At the end of World War II, retreating Nazi SS units set fire to it. Much of what you see today was rebuilt after World War II.

There are several different tours that can be combined in various ways.

Admirers of art nouveau master Alfons Mucha may want to take a 40-km (31-mile) detour off the main road linking Mikulov to Brno to visit the Moravský Krumlov Château, which is now the temporary home to one of Mucha’s most celebrated works, his 20-painting Slav Epic. This enormous work took almost two decades to complete and tells the history of the Slav nation. The city of Prague won ownership of the paintings in a long legal battle but is lending them back until at least 2025. The château, built as a castle in the 13th century, also offers a tour of noble chambers and access to the château tower. It is next to a large park with a plague column (a monument built in thanksgiving for the end of a plague).