Brno

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Introduction

Brno is the largest city in Moravia with almost 400,000 inhabitants and in size the second largest city in the Czech Republic. The city lies at the confluence of the rivers Svitava and Svratka, and forms the political and cultural center of the South Moravian Region.

Brno has a well-preserved historic center and is renowned for its modernist architecture.

Sex shops and alcoholics

The rain taps on my window from the bus as we drive through the Moravian country - again lots of green fields on rolling hills, here and there a village and every now and then a group of trees together - not really that special.

We arrive at the small bus station where my regular travel companion Pete will (hopefully) arrive tomorrow and I decide to go to the information center first.

The city is at first sight somewhat rougher than the much larger Prague - sex shops, alcoholics and small casinos - and the rain does not help to make it seem friendlier what it is. I walk through the shopping street Masarykova and fortunately find an English speaking lady behind the counter.

I get a sheet with four "cheap" hostels and some brochures about the underground city of Brno and a map of the area where we hope to arrive tomorrow - Austerlitz.

Looking for a sleeping place

The owner of the first hostel opens his doors and in the small elevator he tries to sell me a double room of 500 Kroner. He still has a four person room for 350, but I do not agree with that either. I have a number of other options and walk outside the center; I end up in the Hybesova street which is not entirely "clear" - but maybe the prices are a bit lower.

The door is closed but I see a face in front of the window on the first floor. The boy makes it clear that the hostel no longer exists and that I might be able to sleep in the "Omega" hotel around the corner. Again I walk on, still in the drizzly rain and on entering I know enough - after waiting a quarter of an hour I hear what I actually heard - prices are 900 Kroner per room!

Back in the center I now walk to hostel Jakob - the atmosphere is good but the price is quite high and this is the cheapest. I can haggle a bit about the price and I agree because I can enjoy lunch for free and tomorrow breakfast is included.

A piece of history Brno:

Already in the early Middle Ages, Eburodunum, presumably former Brno, was a market town that developed into the administrative center in the Great Moravian Empire, which also included western Slovakia.

In 1243 the Royal city became under the authority of the Bohemian kings. For confirmation, a new castle was built on a high rock on the outskirts of the city: Spielberg/Špilberk. The city citizens came from the south of Germany, Austria and the southern part of the Netherlands.

In 1471 Moravia came under the Kingship of Hungary and in 1526 under the Habsburg's authority. In 1641 Brünn became the capital and administrative center of what was now called: the Habsburg crown country of Moravia. The inhabitants of Brünn were the majority according to the census at the end of the Austro-Habsburg period, ie for two-thirds, German-speaking. After the German occupation of Czechoslovakia in 1940, the city once again became Brünn and as such the capital of the Moravian part of the country in the so-called Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia.

More than 9,000 Jewish citizens were taken to concentration camps from which less than one in ten returned. After collective expropriation and citizenship disqualification according to the Benes decrees, at the end of May 1945, 27,000 undocumented German-speaking inhabitants were removed from their homes and taken to a death march in the direction of Austria, leaving one in ten to die. After the war the city became quickly an industrial center. The population doubled but stagnated since the fall of the installation of the Iron Curtain.

During my free lunch (and coffee) in the hostel I read my brochures and hesitate to do something; I'm going to skip the underground city (looking at the photos not really special). Of course I can go to the Villa Tugendhat to a museum or to the Capuchin monastery with natural mummies but I decide to do little this afternoon because nothing really looks worth it for me now.

By the way the next days will be full of “sightseeing” so maybe it’s even better to take it easy today. Around six o'clock I go looking for a quick bite to eat and a walk through the center of Brno. I walk, it is beautiful mild weather no wand dry, the whole circuit around the old town and come out on Petrov hill.

Here you’ve got a beautiful view of the church with the two sharp peaks and Spilberk hill where in the time of the Habsburg empire was in prison - the Nazis also put it into use again in WWII. Back in the hostel I take my place again after a hot shower and do my diary, website and internet.

tips & advice (2014)

The central station of Brno is located in the south of the center. The main bus station (where also Eurolines stops, for example) is just a little to the northeast.

Brno - Prace: in the busy street Uzka (a bit south of the central station) bus number 48 leaves - the bus to Prace. This takes about half an hour and costs 27 CZK.

Name: Jacob hostel

Address: Jakubske Namesti 7 (5th floor)

Price: 350 Czk (bedroom with 9 beds)

Phone nr. : + 420 542 210 466

Website: www.hosteljacob.cz

Content:

This hostel is located in the center (quiet side) within walking distance of bus- and train station, on the 5th floor of a beautiful old classic building. There are different types of rooms (dorms but also singles) and everything looks super professional - there are 4 toilets and showers, a reception with English speaking (young) people and a breakfast room.

Breakfast is incidentally included and is served between 8 and 10 am. The coffee is free. The largest dormitory has 9 beds, free WIFI and you have a view of the St. James church. There is a table with 6 chairs in the good-looking, very clean dormitory.