South Moravia

South Moravia belongs to one of the largest regions of our country. The Moravian Karst with the deepest abyss, Slovácko with plentiful wealth of folk crafts and other holiday resorts for example the White Carpathians belong to the most visited and favourite resorts. The biggest city of South Moravia is Brno that lies on the confluence of rivers Svratka and Svitava. The second biggest city of our country offers remarkable architectural and cultural sights. It is worth mentioning at least Saint Peter’s and Paul’s Cathedral, Špilberk castle etc. In surrounding of Brno there are favourite and sought-after resorts Bítov with the castle of the same name, already mentioned region Blansko with the Moravian Karst, the baroque castle in Vranov and the area of Lednice castle with a beautiful castle park. Podyjí belongs to the central holiday resorts of the Southern Moravia. The most significant resort of the Southern Moravia is 30 km long Vranov Dam, which belongs to the places with the warmest climate of our country. The resorts offered to you are located over the whole of Southern Moravia from Plumlov to Vranov.

Lednice-Valtice Area

Kindly climate and fertile ground attracted people to the area under Pálava from the very beginning of the history. Here hunters of mammoths chased their herds and created one of the oldest evidence of the primeval ceramics, the world-known sculpture of Venus of Dolní Věstonice. Since the finding of the sculpture Dolní Věstonice has become known all over the world. This area proved its attractiveness many times already. Roman Legions of Marcus Aurelius the Emperor found their way here. Centuries after, the Liechtensteins decided to built up the „Garden of Europe“ – glamorous world of treasurable trees, ponds, meadows and sophisticated views with stylish buildings ranging from castles, colonnades, sculptures and chapels to artificial ruin. Dolní Věstonice – the region of wine, number of Renaissance and baroque houses and picturesque wine cellars. The world-known seat of mammoth hunters was found not far from this region. The most memorable foundation is the sculpture of Venus of Dolní Věstonice. There is an archaeological exhibition in the baroque premises of the former city hall – a model of a primeval seat, Venus of Věstonice dummy, tools and decorations. A starting point to Pálava Protected Landscape. Lednice – Valtice Area – one of the most outstanding natural areas and also artistically and historically important area of the Central Europe. The area is considered as one of the largest complexes of distilled landscape in Europe and probably also in the world. It has been included in the UNESCO list of the World's Heritage. Between two centres – Valtice and Lednice – lies a treated landscape with number of ponds, parks with romantic buildings –Apollo Temple, Belveder, Border House, Temple of The Three Graces, John’s Castle, St. Hubert’s Chapel, Colonnade in Rajstna, Hunting Lodge, Minaret, New Yard, Obelisk, Rendesvous (Temple of Diana), Pond House, Lány, Pohansko. It arose over the end of the 18th century to the first half of the 19th century by elaborated activity of the Liechtensteins, the owners of the manor at that time. There are numerous nature reserves in the area (for example ponds of Lednice). The cycling trails run through this area.

Pálava

Protected Landscape and biosphere reserve of UNESCO. Limestone massif of the Pavlov Hills represents the attribute of the Southern Moravia, chanted by the poets. The highest peak is Děvín. On other hills there are ruins of medieval castles Děvičky and Sirotčí hrádek. The Pavlov Hills are the home of scarce steppes, steppe-forests, thermophilic oak woods and scree forests. Many visitors come in spring to admire pasqueflowers, irises and pheasant's-eye in blossom. One of the last areas of halophytic vegetation in the Czech Republic situated in the national nature reserve Slanisko by Nesyt is a real jewel. The rest of bottomland forests near Nové Mlýny Reservoirs (Křivé jezero- "Crooked Lake") are a part of the area. The protected landscape is open only for pedestrians.

Pasohlávky - Nové mlýny

The complex of three dams under Pálava (Horní Mušovská, Střední Věstonická, Dolní Novomlýnská). The largest water surface in Moravia was built over the years 1982-1988. The upper dam serves for irrigation and recreation (Pasohlávky), the middle one is declared as a natural reserve with artificial islands for the nesting of the birds. On one of the islands you can find a Roman-Gothic Castle of St. Linhart, which is an only remnant of the flooded village Mušov. The bottom dam serves for recreation, irrigation and production of electricity. Water sports, fishing.

Brno and the surroundings

The detail of the picture of Brno and its surroundings. The area between Brno and Slavkov was a place of the gory Battle of Austerlitz in 1805, known also as the Battle of The Three Emperors. The legendary ‘sun of Austerlitz' lighted the glorious victory of Napoleon over the Russian-Austrian Coalition. Numerous memorials can be found all over the battle area (Žuráň – the place of the Napoleon’s command centre, the Peace Memorial) and exhibitions of the battle (the Pratzen Heights, the Napoleon’s exhibition in Slavkov Chateaux) remember this event. About 50 international fairs and expositions take place here every year. A new race circuit, Masaryk circuit - Automotodrom Brno- has been built near Brno. The citizens of Brno use the Dam of Brno for their recreation. The city is characterised by the silhouette of Špilberk Castle and the Cathedral in Petrov from the big distance. In the city we encounter numerous functional buildings with the world-known Tugendhat Villa, included in the UNESCO list of the World's Heritage. Brno – the Tugendhat Villa – the most significant European realisation of outstanding functional German architect, Ludwig Miese van der Rohe. National culture monument. It is included in the UNESCO list of the World's Heritage. Crucial work of the functional architecture in the world standard was finished in 1930. It predominates thanks to open space and thanks to use of delicate materials. Open to public, a part of the Museum of Brno. Apart from the Tugendhat Villa we find number of other top functional buildings in Brno. The works of architects B. Fuchs, A. Wiesner, J. Polášek, J. Kumpošt, J. Kroha, J. Víšek and others.

Austerlitz– The Battle of Austerlitz

The battle began in the dense foggy morning with the allied column attacking the French troops in the village of Telnitz and Sokolnitz. Although the allies were in predominance in this place, they did not succeed in breaching. The French troops retreated very slowly because they were reinforced by gradually coming troops of marshal Davout during the whole morning. Around half past seven in the morning the legendary ‘Sun of Austerlitz' ripped the mist apart. Napoleon spotted from his observation position on Zuran that the Allies descended from the Pratzen Heights and ordered to conquer the hill. Thus he decided the battle because he demerged the Russian-Austrian troops into two parts. The French placed the cannons on the top of the hill and raided the allies attacking near Sokolnitz in the back. In the northern part of the battlefield the French emplacement leaned against the Santon Hill and the battles took place without a clear result between the Santon Hill and the old Post Office. After the battle Napoleon stayed on Chateau of Slavkov for several days, from where he also declared a known proclamation to the soldiers one day after his master victory, in which he appraised the battle. He ended his proclamation by the words: „It is enough to say that you battled in Austerlitz in order to say: “He is a hero!“ The envoys of the Austrian Emperor Francis The I. asked Napoleon for a personal encounter, which came to pass by Spálený Mill. Both emperors signed a truce on 6th December 1805 in the Chateau of Slavkov.

Bučovice

Renaissance Chateau (P. Gabri) with an arcade ward and a fountain in the middle. There are five ceremonial halls decorated with stucco and hand-decorated ornaments, figures and scenes from the history and Antic mythology. Ceiling paintings in so-called Hare Hall describe a reverse world, where animals act like people. There is an original renaissance garden inside the chateau. The Museum in the Chateau. Jewish quarter with a synagogue and Jewish cemetery with tombstone since the 17th century.

Předklášteří u Tišnova

The women´s Cisterican convent Porta Coeli was founded shortly before the year 1233 by a widow after Přemysl Otakar I, Queen Constance. An important complex of the Gothic-Roman style with the unique Gothic portal of the French cathedral style. Visitors can see the monastery church, a capitular hall, an early Gothic cross passage with a paradise yard and the Podhorácké Museum. Interesting vaults –a sexpartite ribbed vault (the oldest in our country) above the chancel. The visitors can visit expositions of the Podhorácké Museum in the convent.

Moravian Karst and its surroundings

The most significant attractions of the Moravian Karst, one of ecologically cleanest regions of the Czech Republic, are before all the unique natural points of interest. Under the earth surface there are vast complexes of stalactite and stalagmite caves (Punkva Caves, Catherine’s Cave, The Balcarka Cave, Sloup-Šošůvka Caves etc). The presence of the caves is disclosed also by other curiosities – sinking of streams, sinks or downthrows of the ground. 138,5 meters deep Macocha Abyss was created by the foundering of the ceiling of a huge underground cave.

Blansko – Punkva caves

The caves were discovered by K. Absolon and gradually open to public over the years 1909- 1933. Since 1933 the visitors can undergo a trip running through the dry parts of the caves with the Front Dome, the Reichenbach Dome and the Rear Dome to the bottom of the Macocha Abyss. Back from here you will undergo the underground cruise on the Punkva River with the stop in the Masaryk Dome. As the underground streams could suddenly (especially in case of the rain) increase their flow rate, the water level is adjusted regularly by the floodgate. Thus the operation is safe. In spite of this it happens that the stream is so strong that only the shortened cruise is operated or possibly the cruises are stopped entirely. 80 m high rock wall towers above the entrance into the caves.

Blansko - Macocha

The deepest abyss in the Czech republic with the depth of 138,5 m. The abyss was formed by the foundering of the ceiling of the underground dome. The bottom of the abyss is a part of the guided tour through the Punkva caves. The subterranean Punkva River flows through them (its stream forms two little lakes). The abyss is also a significant botanic locality. There are entrances to other caves in the walls of the abyss. The view to Macocha Abyss is enabled from two footbridges. The first expedition of Karel Absolon in 1901 was the first that reached the bottom of Macocha Abyss with the help of ropes and ladders (repeated descends in years 1903, 1905, 1907 and 1909). The opening of the dry parts of Punkva Caves from Pustý žleb (Desert Valley) to wide public was made in 1914.

Boskovice

The ruin of the Gothic castle founded by the Lords of Boskovice. The castle well operated by the functioning wooden treadle-wheel, the only one of its kind in the Czech Republic. The Empire Chateau with preserved interiors of that time, which belongs to the constructions with one of the purest architectural styles in Moravia, was returned to the Mensdorff-Pouilly family. The Chateau is open to public. The Empire Greenhouse. The Renaissance Tower of the town hall with the typical silhouette in so-called Residence of Museum of Boskovice Region. Furthermore there is an exhibition of historic agricultural machines and a gallery of Otakar Kubín (Coubine), a painter and a local native. Gothic Church of St. Jacob Senior with the Renaissance and early baroque tombstones including a seven-meter high tombstone, which is the highest in Moravia. A vast Jewish quarter with a synagogue from the 17th century, a gate, butchery’s or a mikvah still preserved. Permanent museum exposition, nature trail, Jewish Cemetery at the edge of the city. A festival for salvage of the Jewish Quarter (theatre, film, music, fine art). The birthplace of Karel Absolon, explorer of the Punkva caves. Western Wild West City in the neighbourhoods.

Slovácko

Folk customs and traditions not only during festivals and tourist events, but as an everyday part of the life, fertile fields and vineyards, places connected to the beginning of our national history and culture – this all comes to your mind when saying Slovácko. Here, to Great Moravia at that time, came missionaries from Thessalonica Saints Cyril and Methodius in the 9th century to evangelise the Christian religion. Together they developed the first Slavic alphabet and translated number of liturgical books included the Bible from Greek. The local people also had their own alphabet and books earlier than most of other European nations. Thanks to missionaries Cyril and Methodius Great Moravia became a cradle of Slavic literature and Old-Slavic liturgy. Wealth, power and remarkable heyday of Great Moravia is reminded by the national cultural monument Mikulčice - Valy with exposition of archaeological discoveries and foundations of stone buildings. Another significant person of the Czech history is connected with Slovácko region - Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk, founder of Czechoslovakia and its first president. He was born in 1850 in Hodonín. Today, his work and life is reminded by an exposition in the Museum called after Masaryk.

Hodonín

The Museum of Masaryk in Hodonín. The permanent exposition devoted to T.G. Masaryk and to the history of Hodonín, The Fine Art Gallery with the collection of Czech fine art of the end of the 19th century and the 20th century focused on works of founding generation of the Association of Moravian fine artists (Joža Úprka, Franta Úprka, Alois Kalvoda, Stanislav Lolek, Cyril Mandel, Alfons Mucha). Art legacy of Jakub Obrovský and Franta Úprka are a part of the collections. Hodonín – the centre of Slovácko region, the birthplace of T. G. Masaryk, the frontier to Slovakia. The exposition devoted to the life and work of the first Czechoslovakian president T.G. Masaryk in the Masaryk Museum. The Fine Art Gallery with the collection of Czech fine art of the end of the 19th century and the 20th century focused on works of founding generation of the Association of Moravian fine artists (Joža Úprka, Franta Úprka, Alois Kalvoda, Stanislav Lolek, Cyril Mandel, Alfons Mucha). Art legacy of Jakub Obrovský and Franta Úprka are a part of the collections. ZOO garden. The traditional St. Lawrence’s festival. The only spa city in the South Moravian district.

Strážnice

The city with three preserved gates from the original fortification. Several times rebuilt Chateau serves today as the seat of the Institute of Folk Culture, expositions of folk musical instruments in Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia. In the surrounding there is an English park, the seat of International Folklore Festival. Near the Museum of Village of Southeast Moravia (open-air museum) with the exhibition of folk architecture and rich supporting programme focused on folk customs and craft. Blue-and-white print workshop. Former Jewish quarter with a ritual spa, a synagogue and a cemetery.

Region of Znojmo and Podyjí

Region of Znojmo and Podyjí. The South Moravian region forms without exaggeration the crossing of Europe. Since time immemorial intersect here the routes between the west and the east, the north and the south. The region attracts the visitors by its location in the southeast of the Czech Republic, on the border with the European Union. Apart from historic landmarks and natural points of interest, some of which are even included in the UNESCO list of the World's Heritage, the visitors are attracted by cordiality and hospitality of local inhabitants, and also their pride for living in the South Moravia. Consider yourselves that they have the reason to be proud! The region near the border with Austria attracts by excellent wine, beautiful countryside and unique historic landmarks. The attractiveness of the region is increased by specialised programmes and a net of cycling trails. Many of the cycling trails are a kind of Wine Routes and enable to connect the cycling with learning tastes and scents of wines. The National Park Podyjí covering more than 40 km long valley of Dyje River with its meanders, rocky and wooden slopes, moor lands and unique steppe-forests is also most beautiful from the bicycle seat. You could also find the remainders of the “Iron Curtain”, the memory of the recent past, when only frontiersman could pass through the beautiful local countryside. Every year, thousands of tourists visit the Vranov Dam, originated in the 30´s of the last century, and the Baroque Castle Vranov nad Dyjí, whose interiors document the culture of the aristocratic living in the 18th and 19th century. However, it is not the only historic treasure by 30 km long dam. On the opposite side of the dam the tourist can visit Bítov, one of the oldest castles in the Czech Republic. The local collection of stuffed dogs, the darlings of the former Lords of the castle, is included in the Guinness Book of Records. The outstanding landmarks remind us that the history went through Znojmo, the old-time royal city and the centre of the region. Here, Přemysl Otakar II, the Czech Iron and Golden King, was transported after his brave death in the Battle on the Marchfeld and even buried for a certain time. Also Sigismund The Emperor died in Znojmo.

National Park Podyjí

In 1991 the area became a national park. It is one of four largest national parks in the Czech Republic and it lies along the meanders of the border Dyje River on the area of around 63 km2 between Vranov and Znojmo. It neighbours with the National Park Thayatal, declared on the Austrian area. Thanks to the borders that have run through this area for more than 900 years the landscape still preserved its unique character and was not affected by the urbanisation. This locality is a unique one all over Europe. In the eastern part of the Park you can find rare moor lands, in the central part there are typical deciduous forest and steppe-forests and the fragments of submontane forests cover the western part. Rich fauna (otter, polecat, ground squirrel). Well-marked tourist trails and cycling trails.

Vranov nad Dyjí

Vranov Dam – the dam on Dyje River built over years 1930 – 1933. The embankment is 59,9 meters high, 292 meters long. The lake with the length of 30 kilometres stretches under the Bítov Castle into the valley of Želetavka River. The recreation and water sports are concentrated into several resorts around the dam. The net of cycling trails.

Bítov

Former royal castle from the 11th century, one of the oldest in the Czech Republic, today neo-gothic. The owners-1307 the Lichtemburks, the Strejns from Švarcenava, the Jankovský family from Vlašim, 1811 Counts of Daun and the last owner was Jiří Baron Haas Jr. Vast neo-gothic interiors, extensive collection of stuffed animals including the largest collection of stuffed dogs in Europe, highly valued armoury, chapel, small ZOO garden in the castle garden. Tours: Palace, Armoury, Chapel, Bugaboos, ZOO garden Bítov.

Photographs South Moravia