Brno is a city located among the Moravian hills. Despite its apparent size – over 400,000 inhabitants, which puts them as the second most populous city cluster in the Czech Republic, is not overwhelming.
Even people who avoid visiting cities can find secluded, interesting places and several interesting monuments that are not crowded with tourists. An additional advantage of Brno are slightly lower prices, compared to Prague, and the fact that most attractions can be reached on foot.
Tourist guide around Brno
Brno tempts with its diversity: there are green areas here where you can relax away from urban buildings and interesting historical remains, such as, for example, crypts with mummies of local monks, or viewpoints where we can admire the panorama of the entire area.
Two days are enough to explore the city, and For some tourists even a few hours!
Despite this, it is worth visiting Brno, because, contrary to appearances, there are a lot of monuments, interesting places and attractions for incoming tourists. It is also worth adding that the capital of Moravia is an important scientific and cultural center in the Czech Republic, which is why there is no shortage of various types of events and entertainment events. Due to the numerous student presence, the city does not fall asleep even after dark, and numerous bars and cafes are open until late at night.
Let’s start exploring the sights and attractions of Brno!
Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul
One of the most important monuments in Brno is the cathedral of St. Peter and Paul. It is primarily a symbol of the city, which reigns over the city with its two towers. The cathedral has been rebuilt several times, and in the final shape it gained a neo-Gothic style. You can admire the baroque interior, as well as the treasury hidden in one of the tower and the crypt with an exhibition about the history of this place. For a fee, you can climb the tower, climbing 130 stairs, where you can see the whole city.
It is from here that the cathedral bells ring at 11 o’clock.
According to legend, this is a remnant of the Thirty Years’ War, when the Swedes besieging the city, wanted to give up when they did not conquer it by noon. It was decided to deceive them and speed up noon, which was announced by bells an hour faster.
See on the map of Brno where the cathedral of St. Peter and Paul is located:
Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Another interesting sacred monument of Brno is the basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It together with the Augustinian monastery are an example of construction from the fourteenth century. The brick basilica is considered the most gothic building in this part of Europe. Whereas the monastery, which was previously a Cistercian order, was funded by Queen Eliška Rejčka, wife of Wenceslaus II.
On site you can admire the library, gardens and the old monastery. The Gregor Mendel Museum was also created here to celebrate the local abbot, who was also a precursor of science in the field of genetics.
Church of Saint Jacob
The third important religious monument in Brno is also the church of St. Jacob. This is an impressive, soaring Gothic building, which was founded by a wealthy burgher of German origin.
The interior attracts with light decor, dark massive benches and tombstones from the 18th century. It is also worth paying attention to the impressive organ and cross from the 13th century. Interestingly, the church tower, which was added in the 16th century, was made available to tourists (for a fee).
Old Town Hall in Brno
It is also worth visiting the local old town hall. Like the previous monuments, it was rebuilt many times. It is currently the oldest secular building in Brno. An interesting object here is the Brno dragon, hung at the entrance to the courtyard. The creature here, however, is more like an overgrown crocodile than a winged fire-breathing animal.
Another interesting element that is worth paying attention to in the town hall is the gothic portal, in which one of the towers is strongly skewed. Apparently, this is the revenge of a local artist who was refused payment for his work. In the town hall you can also learn about the city’s history and enter the treasury in several rooms open to visitors. However, the best idea here is climbing the town hall tower from which you can admire the entire area.
See on the map of Brno where the old town hall is located:
These are not all interesting places that are worth visiting while being in Brno.
Tourist attractions of Brno
The biggest attraction for tourists in Brno is undoubtedly the Spilberk castle and fortress. These are the remains of city fortifications, which were once a royal seat. Visiting from the outside is not paid, and the two viewing terraces offer a magnificent panorama of the city.
The admission ticket must be bought for the observation tower, as well as for the underground and for visiting permanent and temporary exhibitions in the local gallery. Spilberk Fortress is a must see if you visit Brno. It is difficult not to notice it, because it is situated on one of the hills and reigns over the city.
See on the map of Brno how to get to the castle and fortress of Spilberk:
Villa of Tugendhat
The villa of Tugendhat is another tourist attraction in Brno. This is an inconspicuous house, built on the basis of the design of a famous architect – Ludwig Mies van der Roche. It is an example of modernist architecture, so modern and avant-garde that it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2002.
Inside you can see what luxury and new architectural thought meant over 100 years ago. From the outside, the villa looks equally good because a garden is also available to visitors. Currently, to visit the Tugendhat residence, you must book a ticket about three months in advance.
See on the map how to get to the villa of Tugendhat:
Currently, to visit the Tugendhat residence, you must book a ticket about three months in advance.
Capuchin monastery
The crypts of the Capuchin monastery are also a frequently visited attraction in Brno. This is a rather unusual object where you can see the mummified corpse of local monks and other powerful people. Interestingly, the bodies were not really mummified at all, they were drying out due to the microclimate that prevails in the crypts. Among the many remains exposed from behind the glass, you can see, among others, the corpse of Saint Clementine and some of the founders of this monastery.
Vida! Science center
Another attraction of Brno is Vida! Science center. This proposal is directed to both adults and children. Interactive exhibitions devoted to four themes: Civilization, Planet, Man and Microworld were placed on almost 6200 square meters – everything is interactive! You can touch everything and try everything out. Great fun for the whole family.
See on the map where Vida is located in Brno! Science Center:
Let’s see other interesting places worth seeing in Brno.
Interesting places in Brno
It is worth noting that the so-called Old Town of Brno is two markets – Freedom Square and Green (Herb) Market. The first is a place of cultural events, meetings and protests. It is distinguished by two modern creations that do not match the historic buildings and surrounding buildings – a city clock in the form of a black dildo and a plague column from 1679, erected in memory of the victims of the plague. On the other hand, Herb Market, sometimes called Cabbage on business days, is a normal place of commerce, where mainly fruit and vegetables are sold on the stalls. What draws attention here is the Parnassus fountain, built of natural stones. It is to depict a cave, decorated with allegorical figures, which in turn symbolize three empires: Babylon, Persia and Greece.
See on the map how to get to the old square in Brno:
There is another interesting place connected with Green Market in Brno – you can visit the undergrounds under the market square. The unique tangle of corridors and basements creates an underground maze. It was this place that once served merchants as a food warehouse, and during the war the underground was used as a shelter for the local population. Visiting these corridors and tunnels, you can also learn a lot about the history of the city itself.
In turn, being on Freedom Square, Brno bourgeois palaces are worth attention. The House of the Four Gourms (sometimes called the House of the Four Giants / Atlanteans) enjoys particular interest here, due to four figures with unhappy faces that support the facade of the tenement house.
What else is worth visiting in Brno?
There are also many museums in the capital of Moravia. The Technical Museum in Brno is certainly the most visited. His exhibition – both permanent and temporary is associated with the history of transport. So you can admire cars and motorbikes from various periods, as well as technological inventions such as electron microscopes or mechanical instruments.
Another interesting object is the Museum of Applied Arts, where you will see an exhibition of ceramics, furniture and clothing over the centuries. The museum is part of Moravská Galerie. In addition, you can visit one of the rooms, which is entirely devoted to photography, and another, which presents various small projects of applied art.
The third museum object that is worth visiting in Brno is the Moravian Regional Museum. It includes exhibitions on such topics as archeology, zoology, botany and numismatics. Currently, there are over 6 million exhibits. However, the Anthropos pavilion is the most popular, where you can see how primitive people lived in this area.
What else is worth seeing in Brno?
In addition to the city itself, it is also worth taking a trip to the local areas. The area is known after all from the Moravian Karst, which is a land rich in karst phenomena. You can visit caves with amazing formations or take part in an underground river rafting.
The area also has Veveri Castle, the former royal seat. The object can be visited for a fee and admire representative rooms inside, as well as an exhibition of painted coats of arms and replicas of weapons. Currently, Veveri Castle is also used to organize various types of cultural events.
See how to get to Veveri Castle:
And if you get tired of visiting the city, it is worth going to the Brno dam on the Svratka River. Here, surrounded by greenery and proximity to water, you can find a moment of rest and relax. Those willing can go on a cruise on an electric boat or just take a bath. It is also an ideal area for walking and cycling.
We also encourage you to visit the website of the city of Brno, where you will find additional information about attractions, monuments and museums in Brno.
Opinions about attractions in Brno
If you had the opportunity to visit Brno, please let me know in the comments what your opinions about monuments and attractions as well as reviews of places visited by you. Let’s create here a list of the most important monuments and attractions in Brno. Your opinions are very important to us.