1.Town Hall Tower

is the icon of Znojmo, a symbol of the city and a beautiful example of the Znojmo Late Gothic art. It was built by Nicolas of Edelspitz (Sedlešovice) in 15th ct.. This slim tower is 79m high and contains 2galleries and 9 spires. Its colour is green because it is covered with copper. The roof is unique. The second level of spires is turned 45 degrees. It was a watch-tower for spotting enemies and the central point of the city fortification system. At the end of the World War II the tower was very lucky: during a Soviet air-raid (20 April 1945, Hitler´s birthday) a bomb slithered down the tower’s roof and destroyed “only” the old town-hall below.

2. Dyje, the department store

Bombs in WWIImissed the Town Hall Tower and destroyed“only” the old town-hall below. It was later in the communist era (in 1970s) replaced by a controversial concrete department store called Dyje. Bohuslav Fuchs´ old and changed design of a theatre in Brno (in Pisárky) from 1930s was used.Unfortunately, the design doesn´t fit the other historical buildings on the square.

3. Catacombs

A vast labyrinth of passages and halls under the medieval city was built from the 14th and 15th centuries by connecting individual cellars under each house to hide and protect the city inhabitants in time of wars. (The stone inside was cracked by fire and cold water, mined out and later used for building the fortifications around the city.) It is 27 km long and there are 3 to 4 floors. Znojmo catacombs led under the fortifications and out of the city (in wars when food was needed). There were three main parts. Under the old town, Znojmo Castle and Louka Monastery.

It was ventilated by shafts, heated by fireplaces connected to house chimneys and supplied with water by wells... If enemies broke into the labyrinth, they were trapped in slippery slides, trapdoors, extra narrow passages allowing only one man to go through... No enemy could get out alive!

Town Hall Tower

  1. How high is the tower?
  2. When was it built,which style in, who by and why?
  3. Why is it unique?
  4. What colour is its roof and why?
  5. When was it lucky?

Dyje, the department store

  1. Why, when and where and in which style was it built?
  2. Who was the designer?
  3. Are we happy with its look?

Catacombs

  1. Where and how old are they?
  2. Why were the cellars connected, how many floors are there?
  3. Where were the main parts?
  4. How was it ventilated, heated and supplied with water?
  5. What happened in wars to enemies there? (trapped/ welcome...?)

4.Fortifications

From the 13th century when Znojmo obtained the right of fortification, the city walls of Znojmo were continuously improved.The fortification system consisted of 3 belts of walls, ditches, suspended bridges, towers(both round or squared) and four city gates (to Vienna, Brno, Prague...You can see their life-size models on their original places at the time of wine festival).The Town Hall Tower and the Catacombs were other important parts of the fortifications.

We can still see the rest of the ctity walls when walking through the City Park.We can realize how powerful the city walls once were. The 16th-century artillery (cannons), however, changed warfare dramatically. There was no use in maintaining the Znojmo city walls any more. After the Napoleonic Wars the long neglected fortifications were partiallydemolished.So were the gates. Theywere too small to get through for transport and trade.... The space was used for building new houses and roads.

5. Victory Memorial, nicknamed “Ivan”

- Commemorating the end of World War Two -

A bronze statue of a Red Army soldier (nicknamed “Ivan“)stands in the middle of the polygonal Virgin Mary Square in Znojmo.In a pose of an ancient hero, with a machine gun in his right hand, “Ivan” commemorates May 8th 1945, when Znojmo citizens welcomed the first Red Army tanks. The five-metre-high statue was made by Konrád Babraj. In 1968, as a reaction to the occupation of Czechoslovakia by the Soviet Army and other Warsaw Pact troops, a handful of people tried to tear the statue of “Ivan” down; with no success. Even today, the presence of the Red Army soldier at the central traffic junction of the city arouses public controversy. History, however, cannot be undone.

Fortifications

  1. How old are the walls?
  2. What did the system consist of?
  3. How many gates were there and where?
  4. Why were the gates and some parts of the walls demolished?

Victory Memorial, nicknamed “Ivan”

  1. How tall is it?
  2. Who is the statue of?
  3. What does it commemorate?
  4. When was it tried to tear down and why?

6. Znojmo Castle

The old Moravian castle at Hradiště was unsafe, so the Přemyslidsbuilt a new castle on a rock opposite Hradiště. The first “wooden” building was completed around 1080. In 12th century the castle was rebuilt from stone.Virgin Mary and St Catherine’s Rotunda was built, too. The entrance to the castle was guarded by a mighty,tall, octagonal tower - the so called Robber Tower, which unfortunately fell down at the end of the 19th century (a family living there died under its ruins). In 1710 the front castle was bought by Znojmo burghers, who built a brewery there. The castle got into the hands of the Lords of Deblin, who demolished much of the old structures and built a Baroque chateau there. The chateau lost much of its charm at the end of the 18th century and in the 19th century when it was converted into a military hospital. Today the chateau houses a permanent historical exhibition of the South Moravian Museum.

Jáma: Very poor or feared people (e.g.executioner) lived in “Hollow” (Jáma) under the castle. It used to be a scary place... now it is a very romantic one.

7.The Ducal Rotunda of the Virgin Mary and St Catherine

This mighty rotunda was built in 1080s and decorated withfrescoes in 11th century. (Fresco technique is putting colours into a wet wall. The colours get deeper and last longer.) Typical New Testament (religious) motives are here combined with a gallery of members of the Přemyslid dynasty.

Later this chapel was used as a dancing house, a store-house for beer of the brewery or even as a pig sty.

Only a small number of visitors are let in. Nobody can speak in there. Neither the guide. The wet air could damage the frescoes. Tourists have to be silent and listen to the speaking machine in their hands.

8. St Venceslas square

The place used to be a cemetery. Now there is a fountain and statue of St Venceslas. (moved from Upper square). In house No 3 Saint Clement Maria Hofbauer learned to be a baker. Jewswere living in the next street, chased out in 1454. They moved to other cities like Mikulov. Later the street wascalled Veselá because of the prostitues living there probably.

The Castle

  1. When and why was it built to replace the old Moravian catle at Hradiště?
  2. When was it built from wood, when from stone and when rebuilt into a Baroque chatteau?
  3. Where was so called Robber Tower? When did it collapse?
  4. When was brewery built there?

Jáma

  1. What is “Jáma”?(Hollow)?
  2. Who was executioner living there (describe his job)?

Rotunda

  1. When was it built and in which style?
  2. When was it decorated with frescoes?
  3. What is fresco technique?
  4. What are frescoes about?
  5. What was rotunda used later for?

St Venceslas square

  1. Where was the fountain of St Venceslas moved from?
  2. Who stayed in house No 3?
  3. Who stayed in Veselá street before and after 1454?

9. Upper square:

Althan Palace: It is a renaissance building. From December 1631 to April 1632 Albrecht von Wallenstein stayed in these houses.Now it serves as a restaurant and a hotel.

In November 1723, when returning from his Prague coronation, Emperor Charles VI and his family stayed in another palace for two days (it used to be Three Crowns Hotel later. Now it has modern front and serves as a shop).

Ugart Palace: On November 17th 1805 Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte stayed in Ugart Palace for two nights. Ugart Palace offers a Napoleonic-style restaurant.

10. Lower Square(or Masaryk) Square

Sigismund (Holy Roman Emperor, son of Charles IV) fell down from his horse and died here in1437. In the middle of the square there is the Plague Column from the 17th century.There are many Renaissance houses. (e.g House of Arts or Daun Palace). We can recognize the renaissance houses by their highest floors are false, their walls are decorated by sgraffito anddecorative stone columns in arcades in inside courts. House of Arts,the first Renaissance palace in the city was built in the 1540s. A spacious palace was built in the place of two narrow Gothic houses. On the central pillar in the maashaus we can see the stonemason’s message in German: “All built in one year”. On the back wing of the palace, facing Dolní Česká street, we can admire beautiful Renaissance sgraffiti.Daun Palace… was built in Renaissance style and later owned by Daun family (the owners of Vranov and Bítov Castle). Beseda: was founded in 1870 by Jan Vlk(revivalist, author of the song Coming, spring is coming) as a buildig for the Czechs and their culture. (Half of the people living in Znojmo were German speaking Austrians)There is a beautiful stucco theatre hall (on 1st floor). The Austrians in Znojmo build a similar house later. We call it “Domeček” now.

11. Znojmo gherkings

Znojmo is famous for pickled gherkings and wine. Cucumbers were brought in 16th century by Louka Abbot Freytag from Čepiroh (a teacher of Rudolf II) as a medicine against plague. It didn´t work though. People fed pigs with them. Later a special recipe was invented (with spice and vinegar) and Znojmo pickled gherkings started to be famous. The Felix family (after the WW2 they had to leave as a German family. They moved to Scandinavia)were among the most important producers. 5-litre bottles with a black tomcat logo even found their way to the USA. And this tomcat is said to be the model of the famous Tomcat Felix. The “little green lizards” as the poet Petr Bezruč called them, were one of the major themes of Znojmo picture postcards.

Upper square:

  1. Who famous stayed in

Althan Palace?

Ugart Palace?

Three Crown Hotel?

Lower Square(or Masaryk) Square:

  1. Which king fell down from his horse and died there?
  2. Which century is Plague Column from?
  3. Which monastery is there?
  4. When and who by was Beseda founded?
  5. Give names of renaissance houses? What is typical about renaissance?
  6. Where is written “All built in one year”?

Znojmo gherkings

  1. Who brought them to Znojmo and when?

Did it work as a medicin against plague?

  1. Why is Felix family famous?
  2. What is the recipe?

12. Famous people

Premysl Otokar I founded Znojmo in 1226

Premysl Otokar II was buried in Minorite Monastery

from 1279 to 1296, after the tragic Battle on the Marchfeld

Sigismund (Holy Roman Emperor, son of Charles IV) fell down and died on the Lower square in 1437.

Freytag from Čepiroh: a teacher of Rudolf II,Louka Abbot, he cucumbers as a medicine against plaguebrought in 16th century. It didn´t work though.

Nicholas from Sedlesovice built Znojmo Town Hall Tower in 15th century.

Albrecht von Wallenstein stayed in Althan Palace in 1631 and 1632.

Napoleon stayed in Uggart Palace in 1805.

Charles VI stayed in later called Three Crown Hotel with his family in 1723

Prokop Diviš, a student of Jezuitic college in Znojmo, a monk in Louka monastery,a pastor in Primetice;invented the lightning conductor in 1754. However, Benjamin Franklin is considered to be the first inventor as his conductor from 1760 is more simple and precise.

Gregor Mendel (1822 – 1884), a teacher at Znojmo Gymnasium (lived in Česká street), a scientist of genetics, famous for his study of inheritance laws in pea plants.

Jan Vlk, revivalist, author of the song Coming, spring is coming, founded Beseda in 1870.

In house No 3 Saint Clement Maria Hofbauer learned to be a baker.

Charles Sielsfield, (1793 -1864), born Karl Postl in Popice near Znojmo, fled tothe USA, published a book on America, in “Austria as it is” he criticised and offended the Austrian authorities. Later he published his first romantic novel, “Tokeah, or the White Rose” about Indians with the preface by Thomas Jefferson, the US president. Karel May might have been inspired by this book. Next he lived and died in Switzerland, Solothurn. His will first revealed the fact that he was the former monk, Karl Postl.

Sealsfield stone is one of the most beautiful viewpoints in The National Park Podyjí

Famous people in Znojmo:

  1. Give some details about famous people in Znojmo

Premysl Otokar I

Premysl Otokar II

Sigismund

Freytag from Čepiroh

Nicholas from Sedlesovice

Albrecht von Wallenstein

Napoleon

Charles VI

Prokop Diviš

Gregor Mendel

Jan Vlk

Saint Clement Maria Hofbauer

Charles Sielsfield