Brno

Template:Czech Statutory City Brno (listen^ⓘ) (IPA: [ˈbr̩.nɔ]) (German: Brünn) is the second largest city in the Czech Republic.

Geography

Brno is located in the southeast part of the country, at the confluence of the Svitava and Svratka rivers. The city is a political and a cultural hub of the South Moravian Region (population est. 1,130,000 for the whole region). At the same time, it represents the centre of the province of Moravia, one of the historic lands of the Czech Crown. It is situated at the crossroad of ancient trade routes which have joined the North and South European civilizations for centuries. Thanks to its location between the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands and the Southern Moravian lowlands, Brno enjoys a very pleasant and moderate climate.

Etymology of the name

The etymology of the name is disputed. Most likely it comes from old Slavic word brnie (the mud) or brniti (to armor or to fortify), [1]. An alternative explanation derives it from a Celtic language spoken in the area before it was overrun by Slavic and Germanic peoples. It is cognate with other Celtic words for hill, such as the Welsh word bryn.

History

Brno as such was acknowledged to be a town in 1243 by Václav I, King of Bohemia, but the area itself had been settled since the 5th century. From the 11th century, a castle of the governing dynasty, Přemyslovci, stood here, and was the seat of the non-ruling prince.

During the mid-14th century Brno became one of the centers for the Moravian regional assemblies, whose meetings alternated between Brno and Olomouc. These regional authority organs made decisions on political, legal, and financial questions. They were also responsible for the upkeep of regional records.

During the Hussite Wars, the city remained faithful to King Zikmund. The Hussites twice laid siege to the city, once in 1428 and again in 1430, both times in vain.

During the Thirty Years' War, in 1643 and 1645, Brno was the only city to successfully defend itself from Swedish besiegements, thereby allowing the Austrian Empire to reform their armies and to repel the Swedish pressure. In recognition of its services, the city was rewarded with a renewal of its city privileges. In the years following the Thirty Years' War, the city became an impregnable baroque fortress. In 1742, the Prussians vainly attempted to conquer the city, and the position of Brno was confirmed with the establishment of a bishopric in 1777.

In the 18th century, development of industry and trade began to take place, which continued into the next century. Soon after the industrial revolution, the town became one of the industrial centres of Moravia — sometimes it was even called the Czech Manchester. In 1839, the first train arrived in Brno. Together with the development of industry came the growth of the suburbs, and the city lost its fortifications, as did the Spielberg fortress, which became a notorious prison to where not only criminals were sent, but also political opponents of the Austrian Empire. Gas lighting was introduced to the city in 1847 and a tram system in 1869.

During the "First Republic" (1918 - 1938) Brno continued to gain importance — it was during this period that Masaryk University was established (1919), the state armory (Československá Statni Zbrojovka Brno) was established (1919), and the Brno Fairgrounds were opened in 1928 with an exhibition of contemporary culture. The city was not only a centre of industry and commerce, but also of education and culture. Famous people who lived and worked in the city include Gregor Mendel, Leoš Janáček, Viktor Kaplan, Jiří Mahen, and Bohuslav Fuchs.

The Second World War caused serious damage to Brno. During the Nazi occupation many Czech citizens were executed. All the German inhabitants (Brünner-Deutsche) were forced to leave their homeland after the war. About 40,000 Germans were forced to the Austrian border. Thousands of them died on the way (Brünner Todesmarsch, Brünn death march) due to exertion. Soon after the war, the Communist revolution took place (1948), and communist era ended in 1989 with the Velvet Revolution.

Historical population

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Brno Today

The Augustinian Abbey of St Thomas, Brno.

The Constitutional Court of the Czech Republic, Supreme Court of the Czech Republic and Supreme Prosecutor's Office of the Czech Republic moved to Brno or were established there in 1993, after the division of Czechoslovakia.

Špilberk Castle is one of the principal monuments, as is the Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul, also known as Petrov. The cathedral was built during the 14th and 15th centuries. Its bells ring noon at 11 a.m., a tradition since the siege by Swedes in 1645.

The town has a long history of motor racing. The first races were run as a checkpoint for the Vienna – Wrocław race in 1904; in the 1920s, the town hosted the Brno – Soběšice hillclimb race; and in the 1930s, all races were held on the street course which led through the streets of the western part of the town and neighbouring villages, such as Bosonohy and Žebětín. Races were temporarily suspended from 1937 to 1940. Since 1968, Brno has been a popular fixtures on the Czech ETCC circuit, and has held motorcycle races since 1965. The road course ceased to be used at the end of 1986 when all motorsport activities resumed at the permanent track, which was completed in 1985 in the northwest section of the town. It now hosts the Moto GP.

Ignis Brunensis, an international fireworks competition, is held each June. The show attracts more than 200,000 spectators regularly.

Villa Tugendhat, a unique example of modern functionalistic architecture, designed by Mies van der Rohe and built in the late 1920s close to the centre of the city, was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2002. Another renowned architect who changed significantly the modern shape of Brno was Arnošt Wiesner. Many of his functionalistic buildings can be found all around the city.

In the 1990s, after more than 70 years of discussion, the city council decided to build a new main train station farther from the centre of the town and to develop a more modern area of the town, which is currently occupied by train tracks. This plan has been criticised for its possible economical and ecological consequences. The whole Brno railway junction is to be reconstructed, which is very complicated due to its 170 years of development since the first train came to Brno from Vienna in 1839. The construction is projected to finish in 2017.