About Brno

Brno is the second largest city in the Czech Republic. It is an administrative centre of the South Moravian Region and the Czech capital of judicial authority. The population of the city is about 405,000 and the population of the greater metropolitan area is about 730,000. Its geographical location is in the centre of Europe, close to the principal capitals of Central-Western and Central-Eastern Europe. The nearest international airport is 20 km away (it has only limited connections), however important international airports for main and low-cost airlines are located within quite short distances, Vienna (120 km), Prague (200 km). Brno is well connected also by railways (junction of the N-S and W-E principal routes) and is directly connected to the network of European highways.

The area of Brno had been settled since the 2nd century, when it is mentioned in the Ptolemy's atlas of Magna Germania as Eburodunum. From the 11th century, a castle of the governing dynasty was built there and Brno was recognised as a town in 1243. During the Thirty Years War, in 1643 and 1645, Brno was the only city successfully defended against the Swedish army. In 1805, during the Naopoleonic wars, the Battle of Austerlitz took place about 10 kilometers (6 miles) northeast of Brno. In the 18th century, development of industry and trade began, and continued into the next century. Soon after the industrial revolution, the town became one of the industrial centres of the Austro-Hungarian Empire - sometimes referred to as the "Moravian Manchester".

the Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul

The particularly renowned places to see in Brno are Špilberk Castle, the Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul and Villa Tugendhat. The castle, originally a royal castle, become a baroque fortress and feared prison from the 17th century and it is one of the principal monuments above the city, as is the cathedral, which was built during the 14th and 15th centuries. Villa Tugendhat is an outstanding example of functionalistic architecture designed by Mies van der Rohe. It was built in the late 1920s, and it was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2001.

Špilberk Castle	Villa Tugendhat

The city has a long history of motor racing. Nowadays, many competitions take place at the new Masaryk Circuit, completed in 1985. Among other events, it hosts the Moto GP series.

Other sources for foreign visitors: