Things to see and do Olomouc

Opened since 1956, it now houses 300 species of animals worldwide and participates in a series of endangered species protection programs.

The "upper square" is the center of the city, the square where all the nice pedestrian streets inevitably end. It is also the oldest square in the city, as the dates of construction of the surrounding buildings testify. It is the starting and ending point of all your walks in the city and is surrounded by beautiful mansions, including the richly decorated Edelmann Palace and the Petras and Salm Palaces, all of which bear witness to Olomouc's Baroque architectural élan. As in the Lower Square, monumental fountains dot three sides: Caesar's Fountain (1724, by Schuberger) is the most monumental in the square, with the arms of Moravia and Lower Austria, Caesar, the gods of the Danube and the Moravian River, and a dog symbolizing Olomouc's fidelity to the emperor; Hercules Fountain (1688, by M. Mandík) is the oldest, with the checkered eagle, the symbol of Olomouc, and the Arion Fountain (2002, by I. Theimer) is the most recent. It represents Arion, the Greek singer thrown into the water by thieves and saved by a dolphin. But the highlight of the square is of course the Holy Trinity Column, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, so imposing that it houses a small chapel in its base. The Place Haute is a great place for festive gatherings, especially at the end of the year when dozens of Christmas market stalls invade the smallest free space.

The silhouette of St. Wenceslas Cathedral, with its three spires, one of which is the tallest in Moravia at 100.65 meters, is visible from every corner of the city and is the epitome of the city. Started in the early 12th century by the Olomouc prince Svatopluk, the impressive church was consecrated in 1131 but completed only ten years later. Unfortunately, it was largely destroyed by fire in 1265. While the general layout still follows the original medieval plan, much of what can be seen today, including the imposing pillars supporting the three naves, is due to the Gothic reconstruction of the 13th and 14th centuries. Note the impressive size of the choir and the richness of its Baroque decoration. It is built on an equally impressive crypt, accessible by the side stairs. But it is not for its architecture or decoration that the cathedral became famous in Czech history: on August 4, 1306, while the building was at the center of a political intrigue against the Přemyslids, King Wenceslas III was assassinated there. This murder marked the abrupt end of the dynasty and would send the country into chaos before the Luxembourg dynasty took over a few years later. Today, the beautiful facade recently restored and the sober but colorful and bright interior are the main attractions of the building.

Inaugurated in 1902, in the heart of the city, this park incorporates both urban (part of the city walls and the Jewish Gate) and natural (rocks and a branch of the Morava River) elements. The paths are lined with chestnut, lime, ash, maple and beech trees, as well as many flowers. The park is divided into several gardens. In the alpine garden, for example, you will find a dwarf Japanese white pine and other rare species.