{"id":32830,"date":"2024-04-17T17:51:05","date_gmt":"2024-04-17T15:51:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/2967b043-a2d7-4c5e-93cc-6841b1d9b638"},"modified":"2024-04-17T18:36:38","modified_gmt":"2024-04-17T16:36:38","slug":"48-hours-in-brno","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/homesantiques\/rss_feed\/48-hours-in-brno\/","title":{"rendered":"48 hours in Brno"},"content":{"rendered":"

Once you\u2019ve ambled around Brno\u2019s cobbled squares and admired its castle, cathedral and terracotta-tiled homes, you may be left wondering why so many tourists overlook the Czech Republic\u2019s second-largest city <\/p>

By <\/p>

Published: Wednesday, 17 April 2024 at 15:51 PM<\/p>

\n\n

Just a few hours by rail from Prague and Vienna, Brno (pronounced \u2018burno\u2019) has all the cultural cachet of its neighbours \u2013 but without the crowds. <\/p>

The camp that developed here in the Stone Age flourished when a castle and city walls were built in the 11th century. When the fort was destroyed, the settlement remained, with locals selling produce at the Cabbage Market (Zeln\u00fd trh), just as they do today. <\/p>

Produce of all kinds is still sold at the Cabbage Market in Brno – –<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
Back then, traders stored produce beneath the market, in a labyrinth later used as a bomb shelter. Visitors can now explore a wine cellar, alchemist\u2019s workshop and jail inside the kilometre-long passageways.<\/p>
By the 13th century, Brno was thriving, with residents also trading in Liberty Square. These days, the square hosts lively Easter and Christmas markets, and you can admire its fountain and contemporaryastronomical clock all year round.<\/p>
$\"Brno$
Rooftops of Brno old town – –<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
Brno\u2019s booming population soon filled St James\u2019s churchyard, which prompted officials to pile skeletons into a neighbouring cavern. When the tomb was unearthed in 2001, the remains of 50,000 humans were found, making it Europe\u2019s second largest ossuary \u2013 visitors to the church can now pay to take a candlelit stroll through the cavern.<\/p>
Day One<\/h2>
Staying with impressive, if somewhat macabre, underground attractions, the crypt of the 17th-century Church of the Holy Cross is well worth a visit. This is the final resting place of 205 people, most of them Capuchin monks, whose bodies dried naturally, without embalming. While there, don\u2019t miss the library\u2019s ceiling fresco by Josef Stern and an altar painting depicting Saint Helena.<\/p>
$\"Holy$
Holy Cross Church, home to a crypt with naturally mummified Capuchin monks – –<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
St Peter and Paul Cathedral is another historical highlight. Built in 1777 on the site of an older chapel, a spiral staircase coils to the top of its tower, from which you can enjoy a panoramic view of the city. Alternatively, take the Old Town Hall\u2019s 174 stairs to see Brno\u2019s peaches-and-cream architecture with Moravia\u2019s gentle hills beyond.<\/p>
Having explored underground and gazed across the city\u2019s rooftops, you\u2019ll be ready to discover Brno\u2019s main attractions. Start by exploring \u0160pilberk Castle. Built under P\u0159emysl Otakar II\u2019s rule in the 13th century, it morphed into a jail for political prisoners from the late 1700s and military barracks in 1855.<\/p>
$\"Spilberk$
Majestic \u0160pilberk Castle dominates the skyline – –<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
Today, its permanent exhibitions showcase original floorplans, stories from a 1645 Swedish siege and displays of Brno\u2019s 19th-century textile manufacturing industry, which earned the city the nickname \u2018Moravian Manchester\u2019. You can also peruse weapons, garments and porcelain, attend one of the regular cultural events held here, or admire its contemporary art collection. spilberk.cz\/en<\/a><\/strong><\/p>
Art fans will be in their element in the Moravian Gallery. From fine art to applied art, photography to graphic design, this is the Czech Republic\u2019s second largest art museum. It\u2019s actually made up of five buildings but, with limited time, focus on The Museum of Applied Arts or discover Pra\u017e\u00e1k Palace\u2019s modern Czech art. <\/p>
$\"Kri\u0161tof$
Demon of the Growth sculpture by Kri\u0161tof Kintera at the Museum of Applied Arts – –<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
An eight-metre tall sculpture, Statue of the Knight, marks the entrance to the Governor\u2019s Palace; its European art collection is scheduled to reopen this year. **moravska-galerie.cz<\/strong><\/a><\/p>**
Like the towering knight, the Museum of Romani Culture\u2019s three-storey mural depicting accordion players and cellists is another eye-catching piece of public art. The museum\u2019s permanent exhibition offers an enlightening account of Romani life, from the Roma\u2019s origins in ancient India to their 11th-century arrival in Europe, persecution during the Holocaust and post-war achievements in literature and music. **rommuz.cz\/en<\/a><\/strong><\/p>**
Tugendhat Villa is a 15-minute saunter from the Romani Museum. Completed in 1930 for a textile merchant, the Modernist home is now a UNESCO site. The German architect Mies van der Rohe designed the open-plan house, which has floor-to-ceiling windows; retractable windows and onyx sliding screens instead of walls. <\/p>
$\"Tugendhat$
Mies van der Rohe\u2019s Villa Tugendhat has a fascinating history – –<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
Mies, as he was known, also designed the indoor garden, ebony bookcases and quilted Barcelona chairs made for the 1929 World Fair. The villa\u2019s history is as fascinating as its architecture; after the familyleft, the Nazis, then the Soviet Union\u2019s Red Army, occupied it before it was turned into a children\u2019s rehabilitation centre. **tugendhat.eu\/en<\/a><\/strong><\/p>**
Day Two<\/h2>
After a busy day visiting Brno\u2019s cultural sights, unwind by meandering around the Old Town\u2019s antiques shops. Antikvari\u00e1t Alfa (antikalfa.cz\/en<\/a><\/strong>) lies in the shadow of \u0160pilberk Castle. Although it specialises in books \u2013 most of which are in Czech \u2013 Antikvari\u00e1t Alfa also sells old maps and atlases, vintage comics and graphics and prints, posters, photographs and postcards. The owner can arrange shipping.<\/p>
$\"Antik$
A silver teapot at Antik V\u00fdb\u011br – –<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
Antik V\u00fdb\u011br (antikvyber.cz<\/a><\/strong>) is just a few doors down. This compact antiques shop displays silver cutlery, clocks and watches in glass cabinets, as well as interesting paintings and rugs. The owner doesn\u2019t speak English, but he\u2019s friendly and helpful.<\/p>
If you get a kick out of discovering the unexpected, then seek out Baru (baru.cz<\/a><\/strong>), where grandfather clocks line the walls, rare stamps adorn the back room and leather-bound radios, old irons and rotary phones litter the shelves. The floor is scattered with typewriters, while dusty boxes are made for rummaging.<\/p>
$\"Antik$
A display of jewellery at antiques shop Antik V\u00fdb\u011br – –<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
There\u2019s not a speck of dust in Staro\u017eitnosti Pra\u017e\u00e1k (**starozitnosti-prazak.cz\/en<\/a><\/strong>), however. The two-storey, air-conditioned boutique welcomes serious buyers with coffee and offers cognac over shipping discussions. <\/p>**
Since it opened in 2002, its owner, Ladislav, has specialised in Art Deco jewellery, particularly 1930s sterling silver, as well as antique homeware sourced from the Austrian-Hungarian Empire. \u2018The Czech Republic is at the crossroads of European culture,\u2019 Ladislav explains, pointing to a walnut cabinet amongst his stock. <\/p>
$\"Baru\"$
Discover unusual finds at Baru – –<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
If you\u2019re ready for a pitstop, take a break at SK\u00d8G Urban Hub (**sog.cz<\/a><\/strong>) where vases of wildflowers and potted plants wrapped in fairy lights soften whitewashed brick walls. This is a place to linger over a coffee and chai cheesecake.<\/p>**
Antique Patrice (antique-patrice.cz<\/a><\/strong>) is a couple of streets away. A family business since 1992, it\u2019s housed in a baroque building that once belonged to the Minorite Monastery. It specialises in baroque and Renaissance antiques, and pieces sourced from 18th-century France \u2013 look out for lampshades, gold charms and blue-and-white porcelain.<\/p>
$\"Antique$
Antique Patrice is a treasure trove – –<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
There\u2019s more blue-and-white porcelain at Bazar at 63\/12 Kobli\u017en\u00e1, in amongst toy cars and other bric-a-brac, but you have to dig deep to find treasures here.<\/p>
Where to eat<\/h2>
For a fine-dining experience, head to Restaurant Passage, where a living wall glows under copper lampshades, and typical dishes include duck croquettes, rabbit loin with parsley pur\u00e9e and trout with cauliflower poached in butter. **hotelpassage.eu<\/a><\/strong> <\/p>**
$\"Vittorio\"$
Mediterranean-inspired fare at Vittorio – –<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
Vittorio\u2019s contemporary dining room is in a prime spot, between the castle and St Peter and Paul Cathedral. Dine on Mediterranean dishes on a covered outdoor deck or beneath tall ceilings inside. **vittoriorestaurant.cz\/en<\/a><\/strong><\/p>**
Where to stay <\/h2>
Built in 1596, the 30-room Hotel Royal Ricc near the castle flaunts stained-glass windows, coffered ceilings, frescoes and Old Masters. The royal suite even plays host to a grand piano. **royalricc.cz<\/a><\/strong><\/p>**
Near the Cabbage Market is Barcel\u00f3 Brno Palace, dating back to the 1850s. Its 119 rooms boast tall ceilings and wooden floors, while an incredible five-storey atrium shelters the building\u2019s cream fa\u00e7ade. **barcelo.com<\/a><\/strong><\/p>**
$\"Hotel$
The 19th-century Hotel Barcel\u00f3 Brno Palace – –<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
How to get there<\/h2>
Return flights from London Stansted to Brno take two hours and cost from \u00a3200. Take the E76 bus (N89 at night) for a 20-minute shuttle to the station. For more information, visit **gotobrno.cz\/en<\/a><\/strong><\/p> <\/body><\/html>\n**
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