One of the main landmarks of Brno, with its famous dungeon and summer amphitheatre, and a great place for a stroll overlooking the city. Welcome to Špilberk, or Špilas as the locals call it.
Špilberk Castle was strategically built on a promontory in the 13th century to have a perfect overview of the surrounding area. This hill overgrown with greenery and with a massive fortress at its peak greets you from afar still today.
Originally, it was an aristocratic residence, but the role of Špilberk has changed greatly over time. However, the site was always important; never did it play merely a supporting role! Thanks to the south-western bastion, Brno once resisted the Swedish invasions before Napoleon blew it up many years later. The fortress, where the Moravian margraves first lived, became the toughest prison of the Austrian monarchy. And for the last 40 years, Špilberk has been home to the Brno City Museum.
It lovingly cares for precious historical finds and artworks, and it displays these in exhibitions dedicated to the history of Špilberk and Brno as well as to local fine art. You might enjoy for example a historical exhibition of guild relics. You will find genuine exhibits of masters of all possible guilds, such as gingerbread moulds or the tools of comb makers…
Come and get a view of the whole city from the lookout tower or, on the contrary, enter the casemates with dark dungeons, a torture chamber and a rack. The local cells “hosted” the worst and most dangerous criminals, as well as many well-known characters such as the Italian patriot and poet Silvio Pellico, Baron Trenck and the robber Babinský.
Today, the castle is no longer a place of torture, it is a venue for cultural events: theatre festivals, the Summer Shakespeare Festival, the culinary Špilberk Food Festival, the Summer Cinema, classical music concerts and so on.
For children, even a mere visit to the casemates is an experience. Those who have a sweet tooth will be delighted by several buildings in the area, ranging from a bistro and a café to a restaurant and a wine bar.
To visit Špilberk Castle, you can use the BrnoPas, which brings you tips for interesting places, discounts on admission and many other benefits, including transport around Brno free of charge.
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