艩pilberk Castle, Brno (must see)
Spilberk Castle is a castle and citadel from the 13th century. Its construction began under the Premyslid kings, a Bohemian royal dynasty, and was completed by King Ottokar II of Bohemia.
The royal castle was eventually used as a fortification and later became a prison. Spilberk Castle was known as the harshest prison in all of the Austrian Empire. It was first used to imprison Protestants, then became the place for revolutionaries and other political prisoners.
The prison was dissolved in 1855 by Emperor Franz Joseph I. Once the prisoners had all been moved out, it was converted into barracks. However, it served again as a prison during World War II. Civilian objectors and prisoners of war were held in the castle until they were either put to death or sent to Nazi concentration camps.
Spilberk Castle left its dark history behind in 1959 when it became the seat of the Brno City Museum. A permanent exhibit shows the castle's history from its time as a fortress to its tenure as a prison. The history of Brno is also on display. Other permanent exhibits include medicinal research of the region, architecture, and a showcase on fireworks and pyrotechnics.
The castle has a restored lapidarium where stone monuments are displayed. The lapidarium is only available via guided tours. Visitors will also enjoy the Lookout Tower. This tower is the highest spot in Brno that offers a 360-degree view of the city. Visitors should note that the spiral staircase has more than 100 steps to reach the top.
The royal castle was eventually used as a fortification and later became a prison. Spilberk Castle was known as the harshest prison in all of the Austrian Empire. It was first used to imprison Protestants, then became the place for revolutionaries and other political prisoners.
The prison was dissolved in 1855 by Emperor Franz Joseph I. Once the prisoners had all been moved out, it was converted into barracks. However, it served again as a prison during World War II. Civilian objectors and prisoners of war were held in the castle until they were either put to death or sent to Nazi concentration camps.
Spilberk Castle left its dark history behind in 1959 when it became the seat of the Brno City Museum. A permanent exhibit shows the castle's history from its time as a fortress to its tenure as a prison. The history of Brno is also on display. Other permanent exhibits include medicinal research of the region, architecture, and a showcase on fireworks and pyrotechnics.
The castle has a restored lapidarium where stone monuments are displayed. The lapidarium is only available via guided tours. Visitors will also enjoy the Lookout Tower. This tower is the highest spot in Brno that offers a 360-degree view of the city. Visitors should note that the spiral staircase has more than 100 steps to reach the top.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Brno. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "51爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
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艩pilberk Castle on Map
Sight Name: 艩pilberk Castle
Sight Location: Brno, Czech Republic (See walking tours in Brno)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Brno, Czech Republic (See walking tours in Brno)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Brno, Czech Republic
Create Your Own Walk in Brno
Creating your own self-guided walk in Brno is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Brno Introduction Walking Tour
Brno is the second-largest city in the Czech Republic. Located in the South Moravian Region, it is the center of Czech's judiciary and the former capital of Moravia.
Brno is known for its exhibition center, one of the largest in Europe. It is also known for its international fireworks competition, Fire of Brno. The long history of fireworks and pyrotechnics are seen in the Spilberk Castle... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.7 Km or 1.7 Miles
Brno is known for its exhibition center, one of the largest in Europe. It is also known for its international fireworks competition, Fire of Brno. The long history of fireworks and pyrotechnics are seen in the Spilberk Castle... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.7 Km or 1.7 Miles
Functionalist Architecture in Brno
Functionalist architecture, a style that sought to meet the needs of the rapidly evolving industrial society, emerged in Europe in the wake of World War I.
After Czechoslovakia gained independence in 1918, Brno, the second-largest city in the country, developed rapidly both economically and politically. Its architecture reflected a modernist approach that prioritized functionality and... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.5 Km or 0.9 Miles
After Czechoslovakia gained independence in 1918, Brno, the second-largest city in the country, developed rapidly both economically and politically. Its architecture reflected a modernist approach that prioritized functionality and... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.5 Km or 0.9 Miles