Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
MoRavSKÝ
KRUMlov
Don't mistake the shabby industrial town of Moravský Krumlov
(MOH-rahv-skee KROOM-loff) for its enchanting Bohemian
counterpart, Český Krumlov. A “bend in the river” (the literal
meaning of “Krumlov”) is the only thing these two towns have in
common.
Moravský Krumlov has two restaurants, and every store is
closed by 17:00. In the evening, steam from the nearby nuclear
power plant envelops the setting sun. The clumsy ugliness of the
circa-1950s main square (rebuilt after the town was bombed by
Russians in 1945) can feel strangely exotic after you've visited
picture-perfect villages elsewhere in the country.
But despite its flaws, there's one big reason to visit Moravský
Krumlov: discovering the masterpiece of the Czech Republic's
greatest painter, Alfons Mucha, tucked away in the town's decay-
ing castle. Laying eyes on Mucha's grand work in this improb-
able setting gives you the feeling of having discovered a true “back
door.”
While Mucha's masterpiece,
Slav Epic,
will be in Moravský
Krumlov throughout 2009, its location for 2010 and beyond is
unclear (there's talk of moving it to Prague). If you'll be visiting
then, call 515-300-720 to ask if it's still displayed here.
SIGHTS
sss
Mucha's
Slav Epic
Every year, 20,000 people come to Moravský Krumlov solely to
see Alfons Mucha's epic 20-canvas masterpiece. Mucha's huge
paintings depict momentous events in Slav history.
His work is more than a timeline chronicle.
Slav Epic
rises
above the typically shallow, overly nationalistic products of the
