Brno native Alena Vodakova gives an insider guide to her city…

Known to some as the ‘largest village in the Czech Republic’—and even the “Berlin of Eastern Europe”—Brno has a few identities, certain aspects of which are undoubtedly true, while others are entirely exaggerated. Both cherished and neglected due to the shadow of the city’s older, more famous sister in the north (Prague), inhabitants of Brno tend to believe the city lies in the real heart of Europe. Yet when I tell people in Berlin that I come from Brno, most people have no idea which country it’s in.

The first mention of the medieval town is from Cosmo’s chronicle (1091).  The city gained importance with the establishment of the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary located in the Old Town, which was founded by the Czech queen Elizabeth Rejčka of the Přemyslid dynasty. Due to its central location, the city witnessed many conflicts, from the Hussite wars to Napoleon’s battle of Austerlitz in 1805, which took place nearby.

During the Thirty Years’ War, the city was unsuccessfully besieged by the Swedish army. According to legend, the Swedish army were exhausted and made a decision that if the city wasn’t captured by midday, they would give up. When the citizens of Brno heard this, they rang their church bells to announce noon even though it was only 11am, whereupon the Swedish General Torstenson ordered his troops to retreat. Still today the church bells announce noon an hour early.

In modern times, the city became known for its high number of schools, as well as textiles, though the latter industry has been in decline since the advent of the globalised market and the abandoned factories are increasingly being used as centres for an emerging alternative arts and music culture.

Of course, the city also suffered during the war and under communism, as well as subsequent redevelopment following the fall of the Wall. As you walk around the city, you will find the usual scars of the communist era; grey, nondescript buildings with peeling posters and stores hawking poor quality wine. But you’ll also find a vibrant and youthful undercurrent that’s edgier—and some might say friendlier—than Prague’s.

Café Culture