Things to see and do South Moravia

Since the place Zelný Trh, by borrowing small rue Petrská (in the Southwest of the place), one reaches the hill of Petrov, on which the cathedral of Brno is drawn up. Surrounded by the complex of the palaces of the bishopric (Biskupský Palác), the church is surmounted by impressive romantic arrows, quickly become symbols of the town of Brno. Built on the campsite of the first castle of the city and a basilica of romanesque style (and perhaps even of a temple dedicated to Venus), this church, Gothic in the beginning, were set fire to by the Swedes in 1645. It was rebuilt in baroque style, then refitted in Gothic style in XIX^e century. Inside, one from the start is crushed (it is the goal besides) by the main altar, high with 12 m and is decorated, in particular, of the statues of saint Pierre and holy Paul, carved by the Viennese Josef Leimer in 1881. The very high stained-glass windows, behind the altar, absolutely superb, are extremely coloured and rich person of thousand details. This part of the building which surrounds the altar enjoys a major and hot light, contrasting with the rest of the building cream color. Perhaps this interior hides a secrecy: specialists are checking the assumption according to which the cathedral would still preserve the bones of saint Constantine, the pere of Christianity in Central Europe. One will be able to climb at the top of a tower to admire the city. Or to go down in the crypt from XII^e century.

Špilberk Hill, which rises to the west of the city centre, dominates the city without overwhelming it. Many visitors start by climbing the hill to get a bird's eye view of Brno before exploring the city. Although the slopes of Špilberk are now forested, they were once left bare to facilitate the defence of the fortress built on top. The first Gothic castle (enveloping type) dates from the 13th century. In the 15th century, the Luxembourg family ruled over the whole of Moravia from here. But there are few traces of this fortified residence. It was completely remodelled in the 18th and 19th centuries. Over the centuries, the site was attacked, without success, by the Hussites, the huge Swedish army (in 1645) and the Prussians. In 1805, Napoleon took possession of it without fighting, a few days before the Battle of Austerlitz. In 1809, Špilberk was taken again and its outer defence system dismantled. The fortress was later used as a prison and it is to this sad function that Špilberk still owes its reputation today. It was first used as a detention centre by the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It became the most famous prison of the empire and a symbol of the struggle of the various nations of the empire for independence. One of the most illustrious guests was the Italian poet Silvio Pellico, who wrote his collection of pamphlets De mes prisons.

St. Thomas Abbey is built in an area where Brno's oldest foundations have been found. The present Gothic church, dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, was built in 1323 as the main building of a Cistercian monastery. The museum pays tribute to the work of the monk-researcher Gregor Johann Mendel (1822-1884), who conducted his experiments on peas here, making him (only after his death) the founding father of the theory of heredity and the most important precursor of genetics. The complex also includes an experimental garden and a cultural center. In 2022, to mark the bicentenary of the researcher's birth, a comprehensive exhibition on his work was inaugurated in the abbey, presenting it in a playful and interactive way. Facsimiles, photographs, enlarged microscope views and hands-on workshops provide an insight into the workings of dominant and recessive genes and, above all, how they are passed on from one generation to the next, something Mendel discovered in his own time.

The architecture of this abbey is unique in Moravia, and its grey bricks are unusual to say the least. Inside, don't miss the Baroque altar (1762), the giant late-Gothic chandelier and the gold-plated tabernacle. The basilica is also home to the country's oldest (^13th century) wood painting, depicting a highly venerated black Madonna (Černá Madona).

Adjacent to the museum dedicated to Mendel, you can also visit the abbey's brand-new museum, which opened in early 2022. It offers a complete tour of the Augustinian abbey, including the Baroque library with its 4,000 books (a further 23,000 are hidden in secret passages!), followed by the abbey treasury and its magnificent liturgical artefacts. The tour continues with a complete collection of well-preserved tunics and religious vestments from various periods. One room will of course be dedicated to Mendel, but will leave aside his discoveries, well detailed in the museum dedicated to him, to focus instead on the research of his time and his life in the abbey, with numerous personal objects in support. Among the beautiful pieces on display is a Rubens, which belongs to the Augustinian order and was previously exhibited in Prague. A fascinating exhibition.

This beautiful and wild reserve covers an area of 83 km2, between Mikulov and the Novomlýnska reservoir. It is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as a biosphere reserve of interest (rare flora and fauna). The tourist office in Mikulov provides hiking maps of the area. Don't hesitate to climb its austere mountains: you will be rewarded with the discovery of an arid land that looks more like the Russian steppe than a Central European landscape.

This national park, which covers an area of 63 km², extends along the river near Vranov. The river here has formed a kind of canyon 40 km long. The surrounding area is covered by a beautiful forest and wild moors. The park can be reached very easily by bus or train and is a very nice nature trip to do for a day. The website is particularly well presented and will help you to organize your stay in the park.

A very good idea of excursions from Brno. This castle is remarkable for its inner courtyard, a space surrounded by arcades (on three levels) very Italian, dating back to the 1570 s. Despite the numerous developments that followed, the castle retains its original Renaissance aspect. Inside, go to the large, so-called imperial room. Its decor of stucco and mural paintings is unique.

It crosses the river Oslava, which flows below the castle. It is one of the most beautiful stone bridges in the country (1737). Completely white, he is decorated with 20 statues of saints and saints.

This 92 km² nature reserve is known for its caves and remains a very important area for scientists and archaeologists looking for information about the roots of human beings. The rocky terrain allows many species of bats to live in harmony. For the connoisseurs of the flora, the most interested ones will be able to see the cortuse of Matthioli, plant that grows in the zones of glaciers, that continues to bloom here on the side of the rocks. It is recognizable by its beautiful purple flowers.

Luhačovice hosts the headquarters of this beautiful reserve, which covers almost 715 km². It is a hilly area (between 240 m and 970 m) covered with forests and moors, where countless species of flowers grow. At the city's information center, you will find maps of the hiking trails that crisscross the area. There are trails for all levels and lengths of time. On the way, you can discover the fauna and flora of the region, but also the local human activities.

A French speaking guide living in Brno, Patrik will help you discover the treasures of his region, whether you are alone, in couple or in group. Patrik is very pleasant to be with and has an excellent level of culture. He also has a good knowledge of Moravian wines and will be able to guide you to the best cellars in the region. A very good way to discover the best parts of Brno while enjoying the comments of Patrik, who knows the history of the city and the Czech Republic in general.

An absolutely unmissable visit to Brno, although not the easiest to organize. As the villa is a Unesco heritage site, guided tours that take groups of 16 people at a time quickly fill up. It is often best to book well in advance, sometimes several months before the scheduled date of the visit if it falls in the high tourist season. As soon as you know the dates of your stay in Brno, go to the ticket office to reserve your time slot. Please note that there is an extra charge for taking pictures and that heels are not allowed in order to avoid damaging the floors.

Built in 1929-1930 by the German architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe for the Tugendhat couple, it is a functional work of art, unique in its kind, for its construction, its furniture and the arrangement of the space. An avant-garde architecture in its time and which melts in the decoration of a park which, if it lost of its surface, preserved the plan which emphasized the villa on the heights.

The visit lasts 1 hour or 1h30 depending on the tour you choose and will be more or less extensive. The long visit will allow you to see the boiler room and ventilation systems in the basement, huge engine rooms that seem disproportionate today but which were at the top of technology at the time.

In the common trunk of the two visits, we will penetrate on the floor the entrance and the rooms with the furniture of the time in the same vein as the house. But it is the reception room that is the highlight of the show. A bath of light and warmth is provided by the huge bay windows, which were already moved at the time by electric cylinders that allowed the heat produced by the magnifying glass effect to be evacuated. On the living room side, one dreams of sitting in one of the two rows of Barcelona armchairs, while on the office side, one is amazed by the play of light through the titanic onyx piece that separates the two spaces. The small reading room seems quite dark in comparison, but has some surprises in store for the bar! The kitchen, laundry room and drying room are also surprisingly large and modern for their time. The restoration work was perfectly carried out and, despite the damage caused during the war and then during the Soviet period, the villa has retained all its character and its capacity to seduce. The exit is through the park, from where you can still enjoy beautiful views of this unique building.

This vast expanse of water, north of Mikulov, is a popular recreation area for the locals. It is an artificial construction from the 1960s, an ambitious project of the local Communist Party that wanted to prove the know-how of Moravian engineers. A dam was built, and a village that was in the way of the project had to give in to the will of the party. Thus, the village of Mušov no longer exists today; it was swallowed by the waters when the dam was inaugurated. The only thing that remains is the village church, which is nowadays located on a small island in the center of the lake.

The Sloup cave system is considered to be the largest in the Moravian Karst: here the visitor can walk over 1,670 m on two levels. The rooms, from the smallest to the most gigantic, are very spectacular: walk through the concretions, giant stalactites and stalagmites - before crossing a deep underground chasm. Don't miss the "fairy room" either, with its ceiling that seems to want to collapse at any moment. Be careful, it is really deep and sometimes narrow, the visit is not recommended for claustrophobic people.

The interest of these caves is the beautiful range of colors of the walls of the domes and their narrow passages forming a real labyrinth appreciated by geologists from all over the world. The visitable part of the cave is easily accessible to all and will delight children. Also to be discovered: the immense "rotunda", formed by a dome of rocks, and many small underground lakes which punctuate the course.

We go down to a depth of more than 700 m, we walk in various caves all as beautiful as the others. Admire these unique rock formations like the Romeo stalactite and the Juliet stalagmite, which are no longer fed by water and are therefore destined never to touch. You can travel the underground river by boat, fun... but freezing! At the end of the route, we reach the bottom of the Macocha chasm (Propast Macocha), 138 m deep.