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Applied Arts Museum
The second branch of the Morovian gallery, the Applied Arts Museum, focuses on the evolution of arts and crafts from the Middle Ages to Art Nouveau and also holds regular, temporary exhibitions.
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Archaeological Museum
North on Masarykova, Orlí leads to the Měnín gate (Měninská brána) built around 1600 and now housing a small Archaeological Museum.
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Baroque Pharmacy
At Špilberk Castle there is an exquisite Baroque Pharmacy dating from the mid-18th century.
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Biskupský yard Museum
In a courtyard on the right of the Moravian museum is the Biskupský yard Museum, with the largest freshwater aquarium in the country, plenty on Moravian wildlife, lots of model mushrooms and a sleepy section on the history of money. How's that for a diverse series of exhibitions?
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Botanical Gardens
On Veveří (to the west), are the Botanical Gardens; from the city centre take tram 3 or 13.
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Brno City Museum
Špilberk Castle houses the Brno City Museum, which hosts permanent exhibitions on the history of construction, Brno's monuments and architecture, plus a fine arts gallery. Especially interesting is the section on the castle's past as a prison and the exquisite and colourful Brno Law Book and Bibles made for Arnošt of Pardubic (Arnost of Pardubice), who was appointed the first Archbishop of Prague in 1364.
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Cabbage Market
Opposite the Capuchin monastery, a lane leads into the sloping square of Cabbage market, the heart of the old town and where live carp were sold from the baroque Parnassus fountain (1695) at Christmas. The fountain is a symbolic cave encrusted with allegorical figures.
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Capuchin Monastery
From the main train station, Masarykova leads to Kapucínské náměstí. At No 5 is the Church of the Holy Cross (kostel sv Kříže) and the adjoining and gruesomely compelling Capuchin Monastery.
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Capuchin Monastery Crypt
The Capuchin monastery's ghoulish attraction is the dry, well-ventilated Capuchin Monastery Crypt with the natural ability to turn dead bodies into mummies. Up to 150 cadavers were deposited here prior to 1784, and the desiccated corpses include 18th-century monks, abbots and local notables, from a nameless 12-year-old ministrant to hard-working chimney sweeper Barnabas Orelli, still wearing his boots.
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Cathedral of SS Peter & Paul
From the top of Zelný trh, Petrská climbs Petrov hill, site of the gargantuan Cathedral of SS Peter & Paul. Ascend its tower for great views of Brno, or descend into its forlorn crypt.
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Cathedral of SS Peter & Paul Crypt
From the top of Zelný trh, Petrská climbs Petrov hill, site of the gargantuan Cathedral of SS Peter & Paul (katedrála sv Petra a Pavla). Ascend the tower for great views of Brno, or descend into its forlorn Cathedral of SS Peter & Paul Crypt.
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Cathedral of SS Peter & Paul Tower
From the top of Zelný trh, Petrská climbs Petrov hill, site of the gargantuan Cathedral of SS Peter & Paul (katedrála sv Petra a Pavla). Ascend the Cathedral of SS Peter & Paul Tower for great views of Brno, or descend into its forlorn crypt (krypta).
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Church of St Joseph
To the east of the main shopping street, Masarykova, is a brace of churches. On Josefská is the Church of St Joseph, first consecrated in 1674.
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Church of St Mary Magdalene
To the east of the main shopping street, Masarykova, is a brace of churches. The Church of St Mary Magdalene on Františkánská stands on the former site of a synagogue.
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Church of St Thomas
The Church of St Thomas, with a soaring nave in the purest Gothic style, abuts a 14th-century Augustinian monastery that today houses a branch of the Moravian gallery.
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Church of the Assumption of the Virgin
Over Špilberk hill from the old town, on the corner of Úvoz and Pekařská, is the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin, Brno's finest late-Gothic building. Inside is the oldest painting on wood in the Czech Republic, the 13th-century black Madonna (černá Madona).
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Church of the Holy Cross
From the main train station, Masarykova leads to Kapucínské náměstí. At No 5 is the Church of the Holy Cross and the adjoining and gruesomely compelling Capuchin monastery (Kapucínský klášter).
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City Art Gallery
Contemporary art exhibitions are held at the City Art Gallery. It's free on Wednesday.
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Dominikánské náměstí
From náměstí Svobody, Zámečnická leads west to Dominikánské náměstí, a humble square dominated by the church of St Michael (kostel sv Michala), which has an interesting, ornate main altar (1759) by Josef Winterhalter and a massive pair of cupola-topped towers.
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Ethnographic Museum
Showcasing Moravia's obsession with tradition, the Ethnographic Museum gives a comprehensive insight into the region's traditional culture from the 18th to 20th centuries.
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Exhibition Grounds
The Exhibition Grounds in the suburb of Pisárky (take tram 1 from the train station) were opened in 1928. They are now a year-round trade fair venue. In addition to the palace of Industry (Průmyslový palác) other interesting buildings include the Congress hall (Kongresová hala) and Bauhaus-style New house (Nový dům).
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House of the Four Mamlases
Heading north, Masarykova leads to Brno's elegant and spacious main square, náměstí Svobody, the city's bustling central hub. On the eastern side of the square is the House of the Four Mamlases. The façade is supported by a quartet of extremely muscled but clearly moronic 'Atlas' figures, each struggling to hold up the building and their loincloths at the same time.
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Leoš Janáček Memorial Museum
A short walk from the old town is the small Leoš Janáček Memorial Museum dedicated to the composer. Janáček was born in Hukvaldy (North Moravia) but lived in Brno from childhood until his death in 1928. Janáček is the least known of the 'big three' Czech composers, the others being Smetana and Dvořák. All were exponents of 'musical nationalism', incorporating folk music into their pieces.
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Meeting House
On the corner of Husova and Komenského náměstí is the Meeting House, one of the best works of 19th-century Danish architect Theofil Hansen and now home to the Brno State Philharmonic Orchestra. The name of the building comes from its role as a social rendezvous point for locals, a tradition still being maintained in the 21st century with the assistance of text messaging.
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Mendelianum
At Mendlovo náměstí, in part of the Abbey of St Thomas, the Mendelianum is a museum devoted to the father of modern genetics, botanist Gregor Johann Mendel (1822-84), who opened up new realms of possibility in this area with his pioneering work on the humble garden pea. He was a former abbot of St Thomas.
