Cool Down in the Brno Underground

You will probably spend a hot summer day by the water, where the conditions are better. But you can find an even more pleasant climate under the ground. It might not sound too sexy at first, unless perhaps you are a mole, but head for places in Brno where the sun’s baking rays cannot reach and you will definitely not be bored.

Head for Kapucínské Náměstí (Capuchin Square) from the train or bus station. (Everything in Brno is only a short walk away, so do not bother about getting tickets, just wear comfortable shoes.) You will find a Capuchin tomb there, where you can go on a really interesting tour. Here lie the remains of the infamous Baron Trenck, while children will be tempted by the mummies, which are a great deal different from those in the Egyptian tombs of the pharaohs…

A few steps from there, you can enter the Labyrinth Under the Vegetable Market (Labyrint pod Zelným Trhem). Both adults and children will enjoy the fifty minutes of the tour in these pleasantly cool spaces. You will learn what life was like in Brno in the Middle Ages. What can you expect?Definitely not boring guides. 

Dominican Square hides the Mintmaster’s Cellar (Mincmistrovský Sklep), presenting the history of minting. If you are lucky enough, you will meet a mintmaster in the cellar, who will mint you a coin…

The next stop under the ground will be completely different: the 10-Z Atomic Shelter. The still functional equipment will show you for real what it was like in such a bunker. You can even spend a night there!

Let’s climb up a steep hill now. There is an exhibition called the Temple of Stone (Chrám Kamene) inside the hill. It is a part of the famous Špilberk Castle (and prison!). The unused water tanks from the late 19th century are an impressive exhibition area for statues, tombstones and other creations wrought in stone from defunct Brno sites.

The Ossuary at the Church of St. James (Kostnice u sv. Jakuba) is the last site of the Brno underground. The second largest in Europe, the ossuary is set in the beautiful surroundings of St. Jacob’s Square (Jakubské Náměstí) with a beautiful Gothic church. As a place of reverence, the ossuary is an ideal space to calm your mind and finish the trip through the Brno underground. We can recommend the evening tour, it is a powerful experience!

When you come out, you should have something good to eat. The area of St. James Square (or “Jakubák” as the locals call it) is the mecca of local cuisine and it gets very lively in the evening. The perfect atmosphere entices everybody and you will definitely enjoy a cold drink here, too!

Equip yourselves for the journey through the Brno underground with the following brochures in the information centre: Small Guide to the City, Brno Underground, Gourmet Brno 2019 or download them onto your phone at: https://www.gotobrno.cz/en/find-your-way-in-brno/for-download/. Complete information is also available at www.brnenske-podzemi.cz.