Things to see and do South Moravia

Lednice is home to one of the most surprising castles in the country. From the moment you arrive, you will be seduced by a mixture of very different tastes and eras, and one of the most beautiful and pleasant landscaped parks. From 1582 to 1945, the castle belonged to the Liechtenstein family, who made it their summer residence. The present appearance is due to the reconstruction (1848-1858) in Tudor style, designed by the architect Wingelmüller to compete with Hluboká nad Vltavou, the seat of the Schwarzenbergs, the rival family of the Liechtensteins in Bohemia. The Gothic fort and the Renaissance castle that stood here have disappeared as a result of these alterations, hiding the Baroque works of Fischer von Erlach. Inside, there are beautiful reception rooms with coffered ceilings overlaid with wooden sculptures.

The landscape parkis as interesting as the castle itself. It is dotted with pavilions, some of which are used for temporary exhibitions, and extends almost as far as Valtice Castle. The most popular walk is from the castle to the minaret (30 minutes). The latter can be reached by walking from island to island. River shuttles make the trip several times a day. There is also the possibility of taking a carriage through the park. Birds of prey shows are presented every day at noon and 2pm, a third one at 4:30pm only in July and August. The garden is so large that you can easily spend the whole day there.

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.

It was born from the junction of two traffic axes, hence its curious shape of elongated trapezium. But today only pedestrians circulate there: the place is calm, bewitching. The undulation allows to see the square in a different way. It owes its complicated name to the lord who built the castle in the 16th century (his figure adorns the labels and glasses of the local beer). Fortunately, you don't have to pronounce it correctly to enjoy this unique place. The long arcade that goes almost around the square embellishes the place considerably. Each house deserves to be detailed. The Renaissance or Baroque facades follow one another, colored, decorated with sgraffiti sometimes and topped by gables all different (triangular, rounded, pointed, staircase...), as beautiful as the others: you will admire magnificent paintings on the pillars and oriels (for example at n° 15 of the square), sgraffiti of the most beautiful work (n° 61), trompe-l'oeil (the unmistakable green house, all twisted and so different from the others), bossages (n° 12, 54 and 55), a real treat for the eyes. Some facades seem disproportionate to the buildings they hide: thus at n° 47, 54 or 55. The town hall stands on the western side of the square. It is a beautiful small Renaissance building, with 4 bays, born from the junction of Gothic houses. On the south side of the square, we can see a column of the Plague and a fountain (18th century).

From Zelný Square, it can be reached by taking the two streets leading north, Mečová or Radnická. The building grew around a medieval house from the 13th century and was consecrated as the town hall in 1343. It was expanded over the centuries, according to administrative needs and conflicts, until 1935, when the municipal administrative functions were relocated. The building is dominated by a beautiful Renaissance tower with a panoramic gallery, where you can contemplate the city. The entrance from Radnická Street is through a beautiful Gothic portal designed in 1510 by the Viennese sculptor Anton Pilgram. In the entrance corridor, you will see the "Brno Dragon" (Brněnský Drak) on the ceiling... this is actually an Amazonian crocodile, given to the city by Archduke Matyáš in 1608 and which, according to legend, colonized the city's waters. It has since become the mascot of Brno.

When you enter the tourist office through the main door of the old town hall, you will probably notice the twisted stone tower that adorns the Gothic portal. This is a mischief of the famous medieval architect Anton Pilgram, who was commissioned by the city of Brno to build the entrance to the town hall. But when the work was finished, the stingy notables refused to pay Pilgram. Pilgram decided to teach them a lesson by giving them a little surprise in the final version of their building..

According to the legend, the saint, not wanting to repeat to King Václav IV the confessions of his wife Queen Sofia, was violently tortured before being thrown into the Vltava River. It is said that five stars appeared in the water as he sank. Therefore, the number five has a symbolic significance and is found here many times. The church is designed according to the plan of a five-pointed star, there are five entrance doors, five chapels, five altars...

As early as the 12th century, a castle was already standing in massive silhouette overlooking Valtice. Over the centuries, it was modified, transformed, to become at the beginning of the 18th century a monument of baroque architecture, due mainly to two architects: the Viennese Fischer von Erlach and the Italian Domenico Martinelli. C. Tencalla and J. Ospel also worked on this project. The first thing we see is the main courtyard with its statues of Hercules. The facade perfectly reflects the ideal of that time, with its order serving as a support for a more abundant expression where the sculpture is obviously not absent. The interior courtyard is not very well presented. The two beautiful sundials are noteworthy. The interior is extremely luxurious: walls covered with gold leaf, furniture from various periods, heavily decorated ceilings... So much so, that in its heyday, the place rivaled the imperial court in Vienna. The park is also magnificent, not to be missed. Its relief has been used to the maximum, which gives it this baroque aspect. The architect did not want to have a flat terrain, he kept these hills to have some hidden areas. A museum of torture takes place in the park. In the past, it was a room where vegetables from the garden were stored. Today, you can see all the different instruments of torture that existed at that time. Some of them were even used... Before leaving the castle, linger in the vinoteka.

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.

It is a Gothic building with two naves, which dominates the square since the middle of the 15th century, after being destroyed by fire in 1386. You can climb to the top of its bell tower. This 50-meter tower houses two bells named Jacques and Marie. The bell servants had their apartments in the tower, but it was used as a meteorological laboratory by the army in the 1950s and 1960s, so there is not much visible history left.

Under the nave of the Church of St. James lies the largest ossuary in Central Europe. It contains the bones of a 13th century cemetery which, once it became too small, were stored in three crypts under the church in the 17th century. But epidemics of plague and cholera caused many deaths and extensions had to be built in the middle of the 18th century. They were dug under the old cemetery. After a few years, the extensions being already full, the two ossuaries were connected by corridors and then, at the end of the 18th century, the whole was closed and sealed under large stone slabs. It was only in 2001 that archaeologists discovered it when the streets were dug up during the renovation of the district. After the excavations, the ossuary was completely redesigned and can now be visited freely. One can walk between the remains of more than 50,000 skeletons occupying the entire volume offered by the vaults where they were arranged in a very "artistic" way in conditions that ensure their proper preservation. Less impressive than the Parisian catacombs (which would shelter the bones of more than 6 million Parisians), the ossuary remains nevertheless striking by the quantity of skeletons piled up and the placements, sometimes hazardous, sometimes artistic in piles, pyramids, columns, etc.

The charming Telč Castle was the residence of the Dehradec lords (who acquired the site as early as 1339). Zachariáš of Hradec started the major renovation of the castle in the 16th century. For this remodeling, he called upon Italian master builders, who were recruited during his numerous trips to the countries of the arts. From the Gothic castle, the architects Antonio Vlach Baldassare Maggi preserved the structure, before creating the superb Renaissance residence that we contemplate today. The first thing you see is a beautiful central courtyard, lined with arcades, around which the various buildings are arranged. Notice the statues of Adam and Eve. Inside, there are many rooms, but you should especially admire the golden room and its wooden coffered ceiling decorated with numerous sculptures, the theater room decorated with mythological frescoes, the marble room or knights' room which houses an interesting collection of weapons (note the mineral marquetry on the floor and the richly decorated ceiling), the treasure room which is astonishing with its elaborate sgraffiti or the African room for a bit of exoticism with its safari trophies, which are nevertheless a bit macabre. The visit of the castle's cellars and catacombs will also delight children.

To the east of the castle , don't forget to visit the gardens, so quiet, surrounded by arcades. The park, on the opposite side, is home to a beautiful greenhouse. Around the castle are other gardens with ponds, ponds, tall trees and flowers. It is the local romantic stroll on summer evenings.

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.