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95-498: The villages of Derflice, Kasárna, Konice, Mramotice, Načeratice, Oblekovice, Popice and Přímětice are administrative parts of Znojmo. The origin of the town's name is uncertain. According to the most likely theories, it was derived either from the Old Czech words znoj (i.e. 'heat') and znojný ('exposed to heat'), or from the personal name Znojem or Znojim. Znojmo is located about 54 km (34 mi) southwest of Brno , near

190-547: A horsecar service started to operate in Brno, the first tram service in what would later become the Czech Republic. Gregor Mendel conducted his groundbreaking experiments in genetics while he was a monk at St. Thomas's Abbey in Brno in the 1850s. Around 1900 Brno, which consisted in administrative terms only of the central city area until 1918, had a predominantly German-speaking population (63%), as opposed to

285-612: A 2024 discovery of at least 3 three mammoths bones and prehistoric tools dating back 15,000 years. The town's direct predecessor was a fortified settlement of the Great Moravian Empire known as Staré Zámky , which was inhabited from the Neolithic Age until the early 11th century. In the early 11th century Brno was established as a castle of a non-ruling prince from the House of Přemyslid , and Brno became one of

380-506: A brief tour of the city. In 2011, the city announced plans to build a metro system light rail system to alleviate overcrowding of trams and to reduce congestion on the surface. Railway transport began operating in the city in 1839 on the Brno–Vienna line, the first operating railway line in the modern-day Czech Republic. Today, Brno is a transnational railway hub, with nine stations for passenger traffic. The current main railway station

475-799: A parish church. The Church of Saint Ignatius of Loyola on the city square was built in the early Baroque style in 1683–1689 for the Jesuits . Next to the church is a former Jesuit dormitory built in 1699–1711. The Dominican Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross was founded in 1247. The Church of the Holy Spirit was built in the Renaissance style in 1547 and rebuilt in the Mannerist style in 1661. The Evangelical Church of Saint Paul

570-570: A part of fortifications. The Renaissance and late Gothic houses are preserved to this day. The development ended with the Thirty Years' War . Znojmo was conquered and ransacked repeatedly. It took over a hundred years for the town to recover. From the 19th century, Znojmo is best known as the site for the Armistice of Znaim concluded there on 12 July 1809 after the Battle of Znaim , following

665-569: A separate district, the Brno-City District , surrounded by the Brno-Country District . Brno is divided into 29 administrative divisions (city districts) and consists of 48 cadastral areas . The "Brno-City District" and "Brno-Country District" are not to be confused with the "city districts" of Brno. The city districts of Brno vary widely in their size by both population and area. The most populated city district of Brno

760-462: Is Brno-Centre , which has over 91,000 residents, and the least populated are Brno-Ořešín and Brno-Útěchov , with about 500 residents. By area, the largest district is Brno-Bystrc (27.24 square kilometres (10.52 sq mi)) and the smallest is Brno-Nový Lískovec (1.66 square kilometres (0.64 sq mi)). Brno is the home to the highest courts in the Czech judiciary . The Supreme Court

855-428: Is 9.4 °C (49 °F), the average annual precipitation is about 505 mm (19.88 in), the average number of precipitation days is 150, the average annual sunshine is 1,771 hours, and the prevailing wind direction is northwest. The weather box below shows average data between years 1961 and 1990. Its height above sea level varies from 190 m (623 ft) to 497 m (1,631 ft). The highest peak in

950-443: Is Bosch Diesel, a subsidiary of Robert Bosch GmbH . The company employs about 4,000 people and is among the largest employers in the region. It manufactures components for diesel injection pump . Other important industrial companies include Marelli Automotive Lighting Jihlava (a producer of automotive lighting ) and Motorpal, a manufacturer of injection pumps founded in 1946. The most important non-industrial employers include

1045-605: Is a city in the Czech Republic . It has about 54,000 inhabitants. Jihlava is the capital of the Vysočina Region , situated on the Jihlava River on the historical border between Moravia and Bohemia . Historically, Jihlava is the oldest mining town in the Czech Republic, older than Kutná Hora . The historic centre of Jihlava is well preserved and is protected by law as an urban monument reservation . Jihlava

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1140-654: Is a unique slang that originated in Brno. The biggest festival in Brno is the fireworks competition festival, Ignis Brunensis (Latin for "Flame of Brno"), held annually in June, part of the "Brno – City in the Centre of Europe" festival. Ignis Brunensis is the biggest show of its kind in Central Europe, usually attracting 100,000–200,000 visitors to each display. Jihlava Jihlava ( Czech pronunciation: [ˈjɪɦlava] ; German : Iglau )

1235-721: Is also an international road transport crossroads. There are two motorways on the southern edge of the city: the D1 leading to Ostrava and Prague , and the D2 leading to Bratislava . Not far from the city limits is the D52 motorway leading to Vienna . Another planned motorway, the D43 , will connect Brno to northwestern Moravia. The city is gradually building the large city ring road (road I/42). Several road tunnels have been built at Pisarky, Husovice, Hlinky, and Královo pole, and more are planned. Due to

1330-501: Is also one long bikeway leading to Vienna , approximately 130 kilometres (81 mi) long. Several hiking trails of the Czech Tourist Club also pass through Brno. The city spends about 30 million euro every year on culture. A vibrant university city with about 60,000 students, Brno is home to many museums, theatres and other cultural institutions, and also hosts a number of festivals and other cultural events. Since

1425-585: Is also unclear in its origin, either being derived from the German word Igel as the first theory suggests, or from the Slavic word jehla (i.e. 'needle'), referring to sharp stones in the Jihlava river bed. Jihlava is located about 110 kilometres (68 mi) southeast of Prague and 75 km (47 mi) northwest of Brno . The city is situated on the historical border between Moravia and Bohemia ; most of

1520-754: Is among the largest exhibition centres in Europe. The complex opened in 1928 and established the tradition of large exhibitions and trade fairs held in Brno. Brno hosts motorbike and other races on the Masaryk Circuit , a tradition established in 1930, of which the Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix is one of the most prestigious races. Another cultural tradition is an international fireworks competition, Ignis Brunensis , which attracts tens of thousands of visitors to each display. The most visited sights of

1615-458: Is considered a monument of national importance. The Premonstratensian Louka Monastery is among the most valuable buildings in Znojmo. The monastery was founded in 1190, but the current monastery building was built in two phases in the years 1748–1756 and 1761–1778. Architecturally, it is a monument of transnational importance, protected as a national cultural monument. The monastery complex includes

1710-535: Is known for its Znojmo Vintage Festival which takes place every September. The main attraction of the festival is the historical parade commemorating the visit of King John of Bohemia to Znojmo in 1327. The annual Gherkin Feast is dedicated to tradition of growing gherkins in the region. 1. SC Znojmo FK is a local football club competing in the Moravian–Silesian Football League (3rd tier of

1805-458: Is made up of 17 administrative parts: The origin of the Jihlava's name ( Iglau in German) is unclear. The most common theory has it derived from the German word Igel , meaning 'hedgehog', usually in reference to the city's coat of arms. However, the name was in use since before the symbol of a hedgehog was. It is more likely the city is named for the river that flows through it, the name of which

1900-797: Is on Burešova Street, the Supreme Administrative Court is on Moravské náměstí (English: Moravian Square ), the Constitutional Court is on Joštova Street, and the Supreme Public Prosecutor's Office of the Czech Republic is on Jezuitská street. According to the 2021 census, Brno had 398,510 inhabitants. The largest ethnic groups reported (without options to choose between) were Czechs (51.6%), Moravians (18.7%), Slovaks (1.5%), Ukrainians (0.9%), Vietnamese (0.4%), and Poles (0.2%). 23.7% of inhabitants did not write any nationality. In

1995-457: Is served by four train stations: Jihlava , Jihlava město , Jihlava-Staré Hory and Jihlava-Bosch Diesel . Intra-city transport is provided by the company Dopravní podnik města Jihlavy a.s., which is owned by the city of Jihlava. In addition to buses, trolleybuses also provide intra-city transport. Trolleybus service was started in 1948. There are 6 trolleybus lines in operation with a total length of 38.9 km (24.2 mi). In 2004,

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2090-720: Is the Church of Saint John the Baptist. It was founded around 1200 together with the original village on the left bank of the Jihlava River. It was rebuilt several times, its current appearance is a result of Baroque reconstruction from the late 18th century. The Friars Minor Church of the Ascension of the Virgin Mary was built after 1250. Today the originally Gothic church has a Baroque appearance. Since 1784, it has been

2185-474: Is the central hub of regional train services, used by about 50,000 passengers every day, with around 500 trains passing through. The station is operating at full capacity; the main station building is outdated and lacks sufficient operating capacity, but the construction of the new station has been postponed several times for various reasons. A referendum over whether to move the station was held on 7 and 8 October 2016, coinciding with regional elections . Brno

2280-409: The 1st Czech Republic Hockey League (second tier). Thanks to its building development, Gothic , Renaissance and Baroque buildings are located next to each other in Jihlava. The historic centre is formed by Masarykovo Square and its surroundings. In the past it was delimited by walls, some of which have been preserved to this day. The zwinger was modified into a park. The only surviving gate of

2375-536: The Beneš decrees . Znojmo is famous for local production of cucumbers , pickled in the original sweet-sour and spicy pickle, whose cultivation in the Znojmo region was introduced in 1571 by the abbot of the Louka Monastery, George II. The special taste is also the result of local type of cucumbers, cultivation method, soil, climatic conditions, processing and also the packaging in which they are kept. Thanks to

2470-643: The Bohemian ruler in Prague . The seats of these rulers and thus the "capitals" of these territories were the castles and towns of Brno, Olomouc , and Znojmo . In the late 12th century, Moravia began to reunify, forming the Margraviate of Moravia . From then until the mid of the 17th century, it was not clear which town should be the capital of Moravia. Political power was divided between Brno and Olomouc, but Znojmo also played an important role. The Moravian Diet,

2565-571: The COVID-19 pandemic . The airport also serves as one of the two bases for police helicopters in the Czech Republic. The other airport, Medlánky Airport , is a small domestic airport serving mainly recreational activities such as flying hot air balloons , gliders or aircraft RC models . Cycling is widespread in Brno due to lowland nature of the landscape. Existing tracks for cycling and roller skating in 2011 totalled approximately 38 kilometres (24 mi), and are gradually being expanded. There

2660-705: The College of Polytechnics Jihlava was founded. In 2022, it had more than 2,100 students. Since 1997, the Jihlava International Documentary Film Festival has been held in Jihlava every year. The city's football club is FC Vysočina Jihlava . The club plays mostly in the Czech National Football League (second tier). The local ice hockey club, HC Dukla Jihlava , was successful between 1966 and 1991, however in recent decades it plays mostly in

2755-537: The Czech Republic . Located at the confluence of the Svitava and Svratka rivers, Brno has about 400,000 inhabitants, making it the second-largest city in the Czech Republic after the capital, Prague , and one of the 100 largest cities of the European Union . The Brno metropolitan area has approximately 730,000 inhabitants. Brno is the former capital city of Moravia and the political and cultural hub of

2850-575: The Czechoslovak Socialist Republic abolished Moravian autonomy and Brno thus ceased to be the capital of Moravia. Since then Moravia has been divided into administrative regions, with Brno the administrative centre of the South Moravian Region . In 1960s and 1970s, large panel housing estates were built in border districts, such as Bohunice, Líšeň, Bystrc and Vinohrady. During the communist era, most of

2945-677: The Jihlava Hospital and the Jihlava Psychiatric Hospital. The Jihlava agglomeration was defined as a tool for drawing money from the European Structural and Investment Funds . It is an area that includes the city and its surroundings, linked to the city by commuting and migration. It has about 98,000 inhabitants. The D1 motorway (part of the European routes E50 and E65 ) runs through

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3040-519: The Old Czech brnie 'muddy, swampy.' Alternative derivations are a Slavic verb brniti (to armour or to fortify) or a Celtic language spoken in the area before it was inhabited by Germanic peoples and later Slavic peoples . The latter theory would make it cognate with other Celtic words for hill, such as the Welsh word bryn . Throughout its history, Brno's locals also referred to

3135-607: The UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in 2001. One of the natural sights nearby is the Moravian Karst . The city is a member of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network and was designated a " City of Music " in 2017. Brno is divided into 29 city districts, further sub-divided into 48 administrative parts. The districts are: The etymology of the name Brno is disputed. It might be derived from

3230-672: The 14th century, Brno became one of the centres for the Moravian regional assemblies, whose meetings alternated between Brno and Olomouc. These assemblies made political, legal, and financial decisions. Brno and Olomouc were also the seats of the Land Court and the Moravian Land Tables , thus they were the two most important cities in Moravia. From the mid 14th century to the early 15th century, Špilberk Castle had served as

3325-638: The 1990s Brno has experienced a great cultural "rebirth": façades of historical monuments are being repaired and various exhibitions, shows, etc., are being established or extended. In 2007 a summit of 15 presidents of EU Member States was held in Brno. Despite its urban character, some of the city districts still preserve traditional Moravian folklore, including folk festivals with traditional Moravian costumes, Moravian wines, folk music and dances. Unlike smaller municipalities, in Brno annual traditional Moravian folk festivals are held in several city districts, including Židenice , Líšeň , and Ivanovice . Hantec

3420-613: The 2001 census, when the most common nationalities were list to choose between, 76.1% were Czechs and 18.7% Moravians (94.8% Czechs in the broader sense). Brno experienced its largest increases in population during the 19th century at the time of the Industrial Revolution , and in 1919 due to a merger with surrounding municipalities. Since 1990, many companies created or spun off as part of privatization from former national enterprises have disappeared. Before 1990, engineering companies were very important in Brno; since then,

3515-627: The Bohemian estates. In 1523, a large fire severely damaged the city, which was subsequently restored in the Renaissance style. During the Thirty Years' War , Jihlava was twice captured by the Swedish troops . The suburbs were burned, most of the houses were demolished, and the city significantly depopulated. Jihlava recovered only after more than 100 years. The city was restored in the Baroque style and began to develop again. In 1742, it fell into

3610-473: The Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and Saint Wenceslaus. It is originally a Romanesque basilica with a Gothic presbytery, which was rebuilt in the Baroque style at the end of the 17th century. Znojmo is twinned with: Brno Brno ( / ˈ b ɜːr n oʊ / BUR -noh , Czech: [ˈbr̩no] ; German : Brünn ) is a city in the South Moravian Region of

3705-459: The Czech football league system). Orli Znojmo is an ice hockey club playing in the Czech 2. Liga . The Gothic Church of St. Nicholas and the late Gothic Town Hall tower are the most recognizable landmarks. The original church was founded in around 1100, and replaced by a new church gradually built from 1338 until the late 15th century. The town hall with its 80 m (260 ft) high tower

3800-705: The Environment). The city cultivates this sector via supporting organisations such as the South Moravian Innovation Centre and the VUT Technology Incubator. Public transport in Brno consists of 12 tram lines, 14 trolleybus lines (the largest trolleybus network in the Czech Republic) and almost 40 day and 11 night bus lines. Trams (known locally as šaliny ) first appeared on the streets in 1869; this

3895-550: The German-speaking majority of close to 55,000 by the addition of the Czech communities of the city's neighborhood. Included in the German-speaking group were almost all of the 12,000 Jewish inhabitants, including several of the city's better known personalities, who made a substantial contribution to the city's cultural life. Greater Brno was almost seven times larger, with a population of about 222,000 – before that Brno had about 130,000 inhabitants. In 1921–1928, Brno

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3990-665: The Germans demanded the annexation of the German language island to Austria. But the Austrian parliament itself rejected their request, so they had to adapt. In the 1920 election, German parties won a majority. The relatively peaceful coexistence of the Czech and German-speaking inhabitants that lasted for hundreds of years ended with the nationalism caused by the Sudeten German Party of Konrad Henlein , which raised in 1933. The Jewish synagogue, built in 1862–1863,

4085-465: The Great from the 13th century is one of the symbols of Jihlava. The Chapel of Our Lady of Sorrows was added to the church in 1702. In 1725, the church became a parish church. It has two towers, 63 metres (207 ft) and 54 metres (177 ft) high. The higher tower is open to the public as a lookout tower. The bell in the belltower called Zuzana is the second largest bell in Moravia. The oldest church

4180-611: The Moravian Land Tables, and the Moravian Land Court were all seated in both cities at once. However, Brno was the official seat of the Moravian Margraves (rulers of Moravia), and later its geographical position closer to Vienna also became important. Otherwise, until 1642 Olomouc had a larger population than Brno, and was the seat of the only Roman Catholic diocese in Moravia. In 1243

4275-648: The Nazis, including those in Brno. The Faculty of Law became the headquarters of the Gestapo , and the university hall of residence was used as a prison. About 35,000 Czechs and some American and British prisoners of war were imprisoned and tortured there; about 800 civilians were executed or died. Executions were public. The Nazis also operated a subcamp of the Auschwitz concentration camp , which held mostly Polish prisoners, an internment camp for Romani people in

4370-548: The Ploughman . The rotunda is protected as a national cultural monument . Beneath the grounds of the old town, there is a vast labyrinth of connected passageways and cellars called the Znojmo Catacombs . This system was developed in the 14th and 15th centuries for defence purposes, and it contains wells, drainage, fireplaces, trap doors and escapeways that lead beyond the fortifications of the town. The catacombs are

4465-818: The South Moravian Region. It is the centre of the Czech judiciary , with the seats of the Constitutional Court , the Supreme Court , the Supreme Administrative Court , and the Supreme Public Prosecutor's Office, and a number of state authorities, including the Ombudsman , and the Office for the Protection of Competition. Brno is also an important centre of higher education, with 33 faculties belonging to 13  institutes of higher education and about 62,000 students. Brno Exhibition Centre

4560-452: The Veverka, Ponávka, and Říčka. The Svratka River flows through the city for about 29 km (18 mi), and the Svitava River cuts a 13 km (8 mi) path through the city. Brno is situated at the crossroads of ancient trade routes which have joined northern and southern European civilizations for centuries, and is a part of the Danube basin region. The city is historically connected with Vienna, which lies 110 km (68 mi) to

4655-402: The area of the city is forest, 28% of the total. Due to its location between the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands and the Southern Moravian lowlands (Dyje-Svratka Vale) , Brno has a moderate climate. Compared to other cities in the country, Brno has a very high air quality, which is ensured by a good natural circulation of air; no severe storms or similar natural disasters have ever been recorded in

4750-435: The battle is also known as the "Battle of the Three Emperors". Brno itself was not involved with the battle, but the French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte spent several nights here at that time, and again in 1809. In 1839 the first train arrived in Brno from Vienna; this was the beginning of rail transport in what is now the Czech Republic . In the years 1859–1864 the city fortifications were almost completely removed. In 1869

4845-440: The border with Austria . It lies mostly in the Jevišovice Uplands , with only a small part of the municipal territory in the south extending into the Dyje–Svratka Valley . The highest point is at 397 m (1,302 ft) above sea level. The town is situated mainly on a rock outcropping on the steep left bank of the Thaya River. The western part of the municipal territory lies within the Podyjí National Park . A settlement at

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4940-421: The centres of Moravia along with Olomouc and Znojmo . Brno was first mentioned in Cosmas' Chronica Boemorum dated to the year 1091, when Bohemian king Vratislaus II besieged his brother Conrad at Brno castle. In the mid 11th century, Moravia was divided into three separate territories; each had its own ruler, coming from the Přemyslids dynasty, but independent of the other two, and subordinate only to

5035-405: The city include the Špilberk Castle and fortress and the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul on Petrov hill, two medieval buildings that dominate the cityscape and are often depicted as its traditional symbols . The other large preserved castle near the city is Veveří Castle by Brno Reservoir . Another architectural monument of Brno is the functionalist Villa Tugendhat , which was added to

5130-459: The city lies in Moravia. Jihlava lies on the Jihlava River, at its confluence with the Jihlávka Stream. The municipal territory is rich in small fishponds. Jihlava is located in the heart of the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands . The northern part of the territory lies in the Upper Sázava Hills and the southern part lies in the Křižanov Highlands . The highest point is the hill Popický vrch with an elevation of 682 metres (2,238 ft), located on

5225-406: The city square in emulation of others in Prague . Today there is a memorial plaque to him. On 6 June 1991, after the collapse of centrally-planned socialist economy, the first ever supermarket in now-capitalist Czechoslovakia opened in Jihlava. The industry in Jihlava is mainly focused on the production of machines and components for the automotive industry. The largest company based in the city

5320-424: The city's economy has largely reoriented itself towards light industry, logistics, and services. The city later gained importance in other fields of engineering , especially in software development . After 2000, foreign technology companies began establishing their branches in Brno, and many Czech companies with local or global reach were also founded here. Companies operating in Brno include Gen Digital (one of

5415-412: The city's occupation by the Red Army on 26 April 1945 and the end of the war , ethnic German residents were expelled . In the Brno death march , beginning on 31 May 1945, about 27,000 German inhabitants of Brno were marched 64 kilometres (40 miles) to the Austrian border. According to testimony collected by German sources, about 5,200 of them died during the march. Later estimates by Czech sources put

5510-454: The city, and a forced labour "education" camp in the present-day district of Dvorska. Between 1941 and 1942, transports from Brno deported 10,081 Jews to Theresienstadt (Terezín) concentration camp . At least another 960 people, mostly of mixed race , followed in 1943 and 1944. After Terezín, many of them were sent to Auschwitz concentration camp , Minsk Ghetto , Rejowiec and other ghettos and concentration camps . Although Terezín

5605-493: The city. Under the Köppen climate classification , Brno has an oceanic climate ( Cfb ) for −3 °C original isoterm, but near of the (−2.5 °C average temperature in January, month most cold) or include by updated classification in humid continental climate ( Dfb ) with cold winters and warm to hot summers. However, in the last 20 years the temperature has increased, and summer days with temperature above 30 °C (86 °F) are quite common. The average temperature

5700-422: The congestion in private transport, the city is continuing to try to build more parking ramps , including underground, but these efforts have not always been successful. Air transport is enabled by two functional airports. The public international airport, Brno-Tuřany Airport , saw a sharp increase in passenger traffic up to 2011, however the number of passengers declined in the following years, especially during

5795-435: The death toll at about 1,700, with most deaths due to an epidemic of shigellosis . After the reestablishment of an independent Czechoslovak state after World War II , Prime Minister Edvard Beneš delivered a speech in Brno demanding the expulsion of Germans from Czechoslovakia . Shortly afterwards, 20,000 ethnic Germans from the city were expelled into Allied-occupied Austria . After the 1948 Czechoslovak coup d'état ,

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5890-427: The decisive Battle of Wagram , between Emperor Napoleon and the archduke Charles, which had taken place seven days earlier. Since the end of World War I, Znojmo was within the newly established state of Czechoslovakia , except for 1938–1945 during the Nazi German occupation when it was administered as part of the Reichsgau Niederdonau . The German population of the town was expelled after World War II according to

5985-406: The end of the Thirty Years' War in 1648, Brno retained its status as the sole capital. This was later confirmed by the Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II in 1782, and again in 1849 by the Moravian constitution. Today, the Moravian Land Tables are stored in the Moravian Regional Archive , and are included among the national cultural sights of the Czech Republic. During the 17th century Špilberk Castle

6080-497: The favorable climatic conditions, the town is also successful in winery and fruit growing. It is the centre of viticulture of the Znojemská wine sub-region . The I/38 (part of the European route E59 ) from Jihlava to the Czech-Austrian border passes through Znojmo. It forks in the centre of Znojmo and connects the town with Brno as the I/53 road. There is a railway station with railway lines leading in three directions: to Vienna in Austria, to Břeclav and to Okříšky . Znojmo

6175-412: The five is the Gate of the Holy Mother. The square is the third largest city square in the country with an area of 36,653 square metres (394,530 sq ft). In the middle of the square is a plague column from 1690 and two fountains from 1797. The landmarks of the square are the city hall and Church of Saint Ignatius of Loyola. The city hall with Gothic core has served its purpose since 1425. It

6270-407: The hands of the Prussians , and in December 1805 the Bavarians under Karl Philipp von Wrede were defeated near the city. In the second half of the 18th century, Jihlava was the second largest producer of cloth in the Austrian Empire . At that time the city expanded beyond the city walls. The city gates with narrow passages were demolished at the beginning of the 19th century, and the façades of

6365-571: The headquarters, brand AVG Technologies still used), Kyndryl (Client Innovation Centre), AT&T , Honeywell (Global Design Center), Siemens , Red Hat (Czech headquarters), an office of Zebra Technologies , and formerly Silicon Graphics International (Czech headquarters). In recent years, the quaternary sector of the economy, i.e., activities in science, research, and education, has also begun to develop in Brno. Examples include AdMaS (Advanced Materials, Structures, and Technologies) or CETOCOEN (Center for Research on Toxic Substances in

6460-401: The houses were remodeled in the Neoclassical style. From an ethnic point of view, the city was half-German (about 54% in 1921) and half-Czech, but mostly German was spoken here. The city and its surroundings constituted a German-speaking enclave within Czech-speaking Bohemia and Moravia , so-called Jihlava language island . After World War I and the establishment of Czechoslovakia ,

6555-420: The largest system of underground corridors and cellars in the Czech Republic – they are almost 27 km (17 mi) long and up to 4 levels deep. The Church of Saint Michael the Archangel was probably built in the 12th century. It is the second most significant church in the town, after Church of Saint Nicholas. The church was first mentioned in 1226 and completely rebuilt in the late Gothic style in 1508. It

6650-411: The local police, and is also entitled to grant citizenship of honour and the Awards of the City of Brno. The head of the Assembly of the City of Brno in personal matters is the Chief Executive, who according to certain special regulations carries out the function of employer of the other members of the city management. The Chief Executive is directly responsible to the Lord Mayor. The city itself forms

6745-402: The mayor's insignia and represents the city externally. As of 2021, the lord mayor is Markéta Vaňková of the Civic Democratic Party (ODS). The executive body is the city council and local councils of the city districts; the city council has 11 members including the lord mayor and her four deputies. The assembly of the city elects the lord mayor and other members of the city council, establishes

6840-428: The most powerful cities in the kingdom. It was protected by a massive fortification and coins were minted here. It became the first city in Central Europe where mining law was codified. Mining attracted settlers from Bavaria , Saxony and other German-speaking regions to the city. Gradually a large German-speaking community was established here. At the end of the 14th century, the importance of mining declined when

6935-525: The municipal area is the Kopeček Hill (479 m (1,572 ft)), and the highest point overall lies in Útěchov on the border with the municipality of Vranov . Legally, Brno is a statutory city , consisting of 29 administrative divisions known as city districts. The highest body of self-government is the Brno City Assembly. The city is headed by the lord mayor , who has the right to use

7030-500: The northern part of the territory of Jihlava and thus the city has excellent road connection with other regions of the Czech Republic. The I/38 road (the section from Znojmo to Havlíčkův Brod , part of the European route E59 ) passes through the city proper. Jihlava is the terminus and starting point of the railway lines from/to Brno , Třebíč and Tábor . It also lies on the line Havlíčkův Brod– Slavonice . The territory of Jihlava

7125-822: The permanent seat of the Margraves of Moravia; one of them was elected the King of the Romans . Brno was besieged in 1428 and again in 1430 by the Hussites during the Hussite Wars . Both attempts to conquer the city failed. In 1641, during the Thirty Years' War , the Holy Roman Emperor and Margrave of Moravia Ferdinand III ordered the permanent relocation of the diet, court, and the land tables from Olomouc to Brno, as Olomouc's Collegium Nordicum made it one of

7220-497: The plains in front of the rebuilt castle and was fortified. It was one of the first royal towns in Moravia . At that time, the burghers were mainly German speaking, while the surrounding villages were Czech speaking. The town survived the Hussite Wars unscathed, when the Hussites failed to capture the town, and prospered. In the 15th and 16th centuries, networks of burgher houses with a system of underground passages were built as

7315-586: The primary targets of Swedish armies. In 1642 Olomouc surrendered to the Swedish Army , which occupied it for eight years. Meanwhile, Brno, as the only Moravian city which, under the leadership of Jean-Louis Raduit de Souches , succeeded in defending itself from the Swedes under General Lennart Torstenson during the siege of Brno in 1645, served as the sole capital of the Margraviate of Moravia. After

7410-521: The richest deposits were mined, and Jihlava instead became a centre of trade and crafts, especially cloth making. In the era of the Hussite Wars , Jihlava remained a Catholic stronghold and managed to resist a number of sieges. On 5 July 1436, a treaty was made with the Hussites here, whereby the Emperor Sigismund was acknowledged king of Bohemia. A marble relief near the city marks the spot where Ferdinand I , in 1527, swore fidelity to

7505-731: The site possibly already existed during the time of the Great Moravian Empire in the 9th century, however, the main Great Moravian gord was situated on the hill across the Gránický brook. From about 1055, Znojmo Castle served as the residence of a Přemyslid principality within the Bohemian March of Moravia and a strategically important outpost near the border with the Bavarian March of Austria in

7600-534: The small settlements grouped together to form one fortified settlement, and Brno was granted city royal privileges by the King, and thus recognized as a royal city. As throughout Eastern Central Europe, the granting of city privileges was connected with immigration from German-speaking lands . In 1324 Queen Elisabeth Richeza of Poland founded the Basilica of the Assumption of Our Lady , which now houses her grave. In

7695-527: The south. Brno is 21.5 km (13.4 mi) across, measured from east to west, and its total area is 230 km (89 sq mi). Within the city limits are the Brno Reservoir , several ponds, and other standing bodies of water, such as the reservoirs in the Marian Valley and the Žebětín Pond. Brno is surrounded by wooded hills on three sides; about 6,379 ha (15,763 acres) of

7790-572: The south. In 1101, Luitpold of Znojmo , Duke of Moravia, built the Rotunda of Saint Catherine in the castle. The Znojmo Castle was seized and demolished by Duke Vladislaus II of Bohemia in 1145. In 1190, Duke Conrad II founded the Premonstratensian Louka Monastery at Znojmo. The first written mention of Znojmo is from 1226. The royal town of Znojmo was founded shortly before 1226 by King Ottokar I of Bohemia on

7885-422: The southern municipal border. Jihlava was originally a Slavic market village with a small Church of Saint John the Baptist, established on a trade route around 1200. The first written mention of Jihlava is from 1233. The mining of silver began here in 1234 and the royal mining town was established between 1233 and 1240. Jihlava thus became the oldest mining town in what is today the Czech Republic. The village

7980-406: The suburbs, which were predominantly Czech-speaking. Life in the city was therefore bilingual, and what was called in German "Brünnerisch" was a mixed idiom containing elements from both languages. In 1919, after World War I , two neighbouring towns, Královo Pole and Husovice, and 21 other municipalities were annexed to Brno, creating Greater Brno ( Czech : Velké Brno ). This was done to dilute

8075-742: The town in other languages, including Brünn in German, ברין ( Brin ) in Yiddish , and Bruna in Latin . The city was also referred to as Brunn ( / b r ʌ n / ) in English, but that usage is not common today. The asteroid 2889 Brno was named after the city, as was the Bren light machine gun (from Brno and Enfield ), which was widely used in World War II . The Brno basin has been inhabited since prehistoric times , as seen in

8170-539: The workforce was employed in industry, mainly machinery. After 1989, part of the workforce switched from industry to services, and Brno became the IT centre of the Czech Republic. Nevertheless, new industrial zones were built at the edge of the city, such as Černovická terasa in the east of the city. Brno is located in the southeastern part of the Czech Republic, at the confluence of the Svitava and Svratka rivers, and there are also several brooks flowing through it, including

8265-698: Was built in 1445–1448. Overlooking the Thaya River valley, on the edge of the medieval city, is the Znojmo Castle , which was founded by the Přemyslid dukes in the 11th century. The only remaining trace of this castle is the Romanesque Rotunda of Saint Catherine , the interior of which is covered with 11th-century frescoes depicting scenes from the Bible and illustrating the life of Přemysl

8360-643: Was burnt down in 1939. Most of Jihlava's Jewish population, which numbered over 1,000 people, was deported and killed due to the Holocaust in Bohemia and Moravia . After the end of World War II, starting from 9 May 1945, German-speakers were banned from using public transportation and were ordered to carry white armbands identifying them as Germans. Following the Beneš decrees , most of the German-speakers were expelled . Between 1950 and 1952, Jihlava

8455-562: Was not an extermination camp , 995 people transported from Brno died there. Only 1,033 people returned after the war. Industrial facilities such as the Československá zbrojovka arms factory and the Zweigwerk aircraft engine factory (which became Zbrojovka's subsidiary Zetor after the war) and the city centre were targeted by several Allied bombardment campaigns between 1944 and 1945. The air strikes and later artillery fire killed some 1,200 people and destroyed 1,278 buildings. After

8550-432: Was originally located on the left bank of the river Jihlava, but with the expansion of mining and the influx of inhabitants, the town spread to the right bank, where its historic centre was established. The regular plan of the rectangular network of streets with a large square in the middle was given by the building regulations of King Ottokar II from 1270. Royal privileges guaranteed prosperity and Jihlava soon became one of

8645-441: Was rebuilt and extended several times. In the mid-16th century, a turret with clock was added, a Gothic hall was established and the façade was decorated by a large Renaissance fresco. In 1786, the second floor was added, the fresco was overlayed by new façade, and the large Gothic hall was split in half by the wall. Jihlava Zoo was founded in 1982. It breeds about 250 species of animals. The early Gothic Church of Saint James

8740-531: Was rebuilt as a huge baroque citadel . Brno was besieged by the Prussian Army in 1742 under the leadership of Frederick the Great , but the siege was ultimately unsuccessful. In 1777 the bishopric of Brno was established by the Catholic Church ; Mathias Franz Graf von Chorinsky Freiherr von Ledske was the first Bishop. In December 1805 the Battle of Austerlitz was fought near the city;

8835-567: Was the capital of the administrative region of Land of Moravia (Czech: Země Moravská ). In 1928–1948, Brno was the capital of the Land of Moravia-Silesia (Czech: Země Moravskoslezská ). In 1930, 200,000 inhabitants declared themselves to be of Czech, and some 52,000 of German nationality, in both cases including the respective Jewish citizens. During the German occupation of the Czech lands between 1939 and 1945, all Czech universities were closed by

8930-580: Was the first operation of horse-drawn trams in the modern-day Czech Republic. The local public transport system is interconnected with regional public transport in one integrated system (IDS JMK), and directly connects several nearby municipalities with the city. Its main operator is the Brno City Transport Company (DPmB), which also operates a mostly recreational ferry route at the Brno Dam Lake . A tourist minibus provides

9025-537: Was the site of several show trials of Communist Party of Czechoslovakia , which were directed against the influence of the Catholic Church on the rural population. In the processes eleven death sentences were passed. All the convicted persons were rehabilitated after the Velvet Revolution . In 1969, in protest against the normalization in Czechoslovakia , Evžen Plocek set himself on fire on

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