Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
River crocodile, donated by Archprince Matyáš in 1608. Near the dragon, you'll
see a wooden wagon wheel hanging on the wall. It was apparently crafted by an
enterprising cartwright from Lednice. In 1636 he bet a mate he could fell a tree,
build a wheel and roll it 50km to Brno - all before dusk. He was successful and
the hastily made and quickly rolled wheel has been on display ever since. Unfor-
tunately, someone started the dodgy rumour that the cartwright had received as-
sistance from the devil and he died penniless when his customers went else-
where.
Cabbage Market & Around
The
Cabbage Market
(Zelný trh) is the heart of the Old Town. Today it functions as
a fruit-and-vegetable market, but at its centre is the curious baroque
Parnassus
Fountain
(1695). The images here depict Hercules restraining the three-headed Cer-
berus, watchdog of the underworld. The three female figures represent the ancient
empires of Babylon (crown), Persia (cornucopia) and Greece (quiver of arrows). The
triumphant woman on top symbolises Europe.
CEME
CEMETER
TERY
CAPUCHIN MONASTERY
1pm-4.30pm May-Sep, closed Mon mid-Feb-Apr & Oct-mid-Dec, closed mid-Dec-mid-Feb)
One
of the city's leading attractions is this ghoulish cellar
crypt
that holds the mummified
remains of several city noblemen from the 18th century. Apparently the dry, well-
ventilated crypt has the natural ability to turn dead bodies into mummies. Up to 150
cadavers were deposited here prior to 1784, the desiccated corpses including monks,
abbots and local notables.
BRNO UNDERGROUND
Tue-Sun)
In 2011, the city opened the first of what will be several opportunities to ex-
plore the underground passages of the medieval city. This tour takes around 40
minutes to explore several of the cellars situated six-to-eight metres below the Cab-
UNDER
UNDERGGROUND
UND
