What to see in Brno - Czech Republic

Brno is the second biggest city in the Czech Republic and this was my first destination after leaving Budapest. Being close to big and known cities such as Viena, Bratislava and Prague, the city stays in their shadow, however, it offers several attractions and is worth your time.

I arrived in Brno by RegioJet (from Budapest to Brno it was 4 hours) and I must say that Brno train station is quite beautiful. I was offered a digital audio guide of Brno from Smart Guide, due to the purchase of the train ticket and I used to discover the city.

Where is Brno located?

Brno is in the Southeastern part of the Czech Republic, not far from the border with Austria and Slovakia. Vienna is 130 km away, as well as Bratislava. Prague is 200 km away from Brno.

Picture from vector map – Czech Republic.

How to get to Brno?

Brno is well connected with the main cities in the region. There are frequent trains and buses from/to Prague, Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest, České Budějovice and Český Krumlov. I arrived in Brno by Regiojet but you can also take Flixbus and regional buses.

Where to eat in Brno

I arrived at Brno around lunch hour so I was starving. After walking around in the city centre a bit to find a place to have lunch and I ended up choosing Restaurace Špalíček.

What to see and do in Brno

Mendel’s Brno

Gregor Johann Mendel, known as the “father of Genetics” spent a major part of his life in Brno. If you want to know more about Mendel there are a few places you can visit: the Mendelianum, a museum that introduces Mendel and his work, Mendel Square, Augustin abbey and monastery (where Mendel experimented with the pea plants and wrote down his research) and the Vocational school and the Czech national bank plagues (these two places are connected to Mendel’s work). For more information about Mendel visit Mendel Brno.

See the city from above in the Old Town hall

The Old Town hall is the oldest functioning secular building in Brno and the view of from the top of the tower is beautiful! Nowadays the Old Town Hall has an Information Centre, where you can get information and buy souvenirs.

It is also here that you can see two symbols of Brno: a stuffed crocodile (the so-called “Brno dragon”) and the Brno wheel.

What’s the story of the Brno dragon?

There are several versions of this legend. One of them says that a dragon settled down near Brno and threatened citizens. To get rid of the creature some brave men created a trap. They took a sac made of fur and fill it with lime. The dragon became very thirsty after eating this fur and lime, and after drinking so much water at the river his stomach expanded with the lime inside, and it burst! You can see this Dragon, actually a crocodile hanging underneath the ceiling next to the Brno Wheel in the Town Hall.

What’s the story of the Brno wheel?

Another symbol of Brno is the Brno wheel (144 cm diameter) in the passage of the Old Town hall (see picture below). The wheel bears a legend about a master wheelwright Georg Birck of Lednice who casually bet that during a single day, he would cut down a tree, make a wheel from its wood, and even roll it to Brno (54 km). Unfortunately, expert examination revealed that the wheel was not made from fresh wood, not even the wood of a single tree. This presented a fundamental challenge to the truthfulness of the legend. Nonetheless, the annual event of rolling a wooden wagon wheel from Lednice to Brno provides evidence that at least the final part of Birck’s bet was possible.

Entrance fee: 90 CZK

Explore 10-Z Bunker

What if I told you that you can sleep in a Bunker in Brno?

Besides visiting a place full of history you can actually sleep here too. Book your stay here 10-Z Bunker.

May this place never serve its original purpose.

And may it remain vibrant with the sounds of good jazz.

Hugo Marom

Visit the impressive Cathedral of Saint Peter and Paul

Located on Petrov hill the Cathedral of Saint Peter and Paul is built in neogothic style and it is visible from a long distance (you will notice it as soon as you arrive).

Near the cathedral, there is a park (Denis gardens) offering a panoramic view of Brno.

Vegetable market (Zelňák) and underground Labyrinth

As in past years, here you can still buy fresh fruits and vegetables. The square is dominated by a baroque fountain called “Parnas”. In the lower part of the square, you can enter an underground labyrinth (with medieval passageways and cellars).