While visiting the city centre, take some time for a quick meal
and browse along the pedestrian shopping zone, which unfolds
between námestí Svobody and the train station. Prices for goods are
often cheaper here than in Prague, so you may find a better deal
for the crystal vase or pair of earrings you were thinking of
buying.
Food
You have a great opportunity to taste Czech cuisine in Brno. A
typical Czech dish is roast pork with dumplings and cabbage or
fried cheese with potatoes or chips. There are lots of restaurants
which offer food and drink for €6, even those situated in the Brno
centre. At midday, the bulk of restaurants provide their customers
with menus for more attractive prices.
Drink - beer, wine and Kofola
To eat well you have to drink well. Traditional Brno's beer
brand is called Starobrno; however restaurants also offer other
brands such as Pilsner Urquel and Gambrinus. A pint of beer usually
costs about €1, even in the city centre restaurants.
Another traditional Czech drink is Kofola, which tastes similar
to Cola, but due to natural ingredients and liquorice it has an
unmistakable and intriguing taste.
Aside from beer and kofola, Czechs also produce a high-quality
wine, sometimes called "blood of Moravia".
Capuchin Crypt and Church
The church is situated on the Capuchin Square near the Cabbage
Market. Next to the church stands the Capuchin Monastery. The front
side of the church is decorated with the Baroque sculptures by Jan
Adam Nessman from 1765.
The most interesting attraction is the Capuchin crypt which is
located beneath the church. Due to the good geological structure of
soil and system of air-holes, it was possible to mummify the
corpses which have been preserved in the underground of the church
to the present-day. Except for the members of the Capuchin Order,
the builders Ondřej and Jan Křtitel Ern and baron Franz von der
Trenck (a commander of the Pandur and Špilberk prisoner) are buried
there.
Visitors can attend a permanent exhibition which includes a tour
of the Capuchin crypt with mummies.
Spilberk Castle
Another dominant feature of Brno is Spilberk Castle. It was
established around the mid-13th century by the Czech king Otokar
II. of Bohemia. After a fire in 1578, it was transformed into the
Renaissance building by Antonín Paris. During the Thirty Years' War
the castle was turned into a Baroque fortress. In 1820 the fortress
was converted into a prison, which was called the "dungeon of the
nations" in the Austro-Hungarian Empire as it was the place of
political persecution.
Today, the Spilberk castle houses The Brno City Museum. There
are permanent exhibitions such as The Casemates (with a torture
chamber and instruments of torture), Baroque Pharmacy and Lapidary.
Another tourist attraction is a lookout tower. The public can also
visit the north and west wing of the castle.
Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul
The cathedral is situated on the natural rock formation called
Petrov. It is the dominant feature of Brno and creates the city's
typical silhouette. From the former Romanesque basilica, which was
built as a part of the former Brno Castle in the 11th century, it
was turned into a Gothic cathedral in the 14th century. Between
1738 and 1748 it was transformed into the Baroque style by Mořic
Grimm. The interior of the building is splendidly equipped with the
sculptures by Ondřej Schweigl. There is the largest preserved
fragment of the city walls under the cathedral.
Admission fee to the cathedral is free.
Admission fee to the cathedral's tower and treasure house:
35 CZK (reduced admission fee for students, children and
elderly people)
Opening hours: from Monday to Saturday: 11.00 - 18.00; Sunday
11.45 - 18.00
Admission fee to the crypt: 25 CZK (reduced admission fee
for students, children and elderly people)
Opening hours: Saturday 11 - 18.00, Sunday 11.45 - 18.00
