Things to do
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Brno Ossuary
Under the square beside St James's Church, the bones of tens of thousands of medieval and early modern burials are stacked into walls and arches. It ranks as the second largest ossuary in Europe after the Paris catacombs. Entry is by guided tour every half hour, and groups are small, so weekend slots fill. Closed Mondays.
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Capuchin Crypt
Beneath the Capuchin church beside Cabbage Market, dozens of friars lie on bare brick in their habits, naturally mummified by dry air circulating through the vaults. Baron Trenck, a Habsburg mercenary commander, rests in a glass coffin nearby. Rooms are small and the visit is self guided with printed texts. It opens daily all year, closing only at Christmas and Easter.
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Cathedral of St Peter and Paul
Two neo-Gothic spires on Petrov hill mark the skyline from almost anywhere in the centre. Inside, a crypt opens to visitors, and a narrow stair climbs to a viewing gallery between the towers. Bells here ring noon at eleven, a custom tied to the Swedish siege of 1645. Services take priority, so tower and crypt hours shift on Sundays.
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Freedom Square
Triangular in plan, the main square of the old town gathers trams, cafés and a black stone astronomical clock that releases a glass marble at eleven each morning. Renaissance and Art Nouveau facades line its edges, and a plague column stands in the middle. Christmas markets fill it from late November. Cabbage Market, with daily produce stalls, lies a few minutes south.
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Grandhotel Brno
Opposite the main railway station, this neo-Renaissance hotel opened in 1870 and staged the first film screening in what is now the Czech Republic, in its Moorish Hall. Rooms are modern after several renovations, though the facade and public rooms keep a grand hotel air. The old town begins across the street, which suits arrivals by train and day trips south.
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Špilberk Castle
Crowning a wooded hill west of the old town, this baroque fortress served the Habsburgs as a feared prison. Its casemates, vaulted cells cut into the ramparts, are the main draw, along with the city museum's galleries and a lookout tower. The park around the walls is free and open late. Exhibitions keep shorter hours out of season and close on Mondays.
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Villa Tugendhat
Mies van der Rohe built this family house on a slope above Lužánky park in 1930, with an onyx wall, a curved ebony screen and windows that sink into the floor. Interiors are seen only on guided tours, and tickets go on sale about two months ahead and sell out within days. The garden and the technical floor open without a guide. Closed Mondays.
