Taking a trip into Brno’s underground this summer will give you double goosebumps, from the cool temperatures and the spooky atmosphere. The unique attractions on offer include an elaborate ossuary, breathtaking underground reservoirs, and a historical anti-nuclear shelter, as well as the opportunity to stay overnight in the casemates of Spilberk Castle.
Tickets to the cavernous reservoirs on Zluty Kopec sell out fast, but the opening hours have recently been extended to make it easier to book either a guided tour or a self-directed visit with an audio guide.
You can enhance your visit even more by combining it with a cultural event, as part of the VodojeMyArt series. Three events are planned so far for summer and autumn: two concerts and the Prototyp festival, which combines light installations and contemporary art in the reservoir space.
Those who are feeling brave can also try an overnight stay in the casemates of Spilberk Castle, each Saturday through the summer. More information is available on the Brno City Museum website.
Coming face-to-face with death… or hiding from it?
Through the inconspicuous entrance to the underground just beside the entrance to St. James’s Church, you can find the second largest ossuary in Europe, after the one in Paris. The burial ground containing the remains of approximately 50,000 people was waiting to be discovered for over 200 years. Today, this sinister attraction is open to the public all year round; for an even spookier experience, join the night tours that will take place on Fridays throughout August (for information, see the website).
Also accessible to the public again after reconstruction is the Capuchin tomb, which served as a burial ground for monks in the 17th and 18th centuries. The ingenious ventilation system, installed in the crypt centuries ago, caused the natural mummification of the bodies of the dead. Visits to the tomb are unguided, so you can stay there as long as you want.
During the Cold War, fear of an impending nuclear strike from the west led to the creation of a number of anti-nuclear shelters, including one under Petrov, where residents of the city centre could find safety. The facility had space for up to 3,000 people for four days. You can now see what conditions they would have been living in, with regular 60-minute tours, and after-dark tours held every other Sunday during the holidays.
How Brno used to be…
Opened only last year, the modern multimedia exhibition ‘The Fire Horse and the Dragon’, in the cellar under the New Town Hall (formerly the Mintmaster’s Cellar), includes stories about both the legends and the real history of the city.
Another tour will take you into the mediaeval corridors and cellars of the Labyrinth under Zelny Trh, where you can learn how food, wine and beer were stored in the past, and how the underground spaces were lit. An old wine cellar and a historic pub highlight the local winemaking traditions. The dark side of life in ancient times is told through replicas of the city pillory and the fool’s cage that stood in the market place in the 17th century.
For a more adrenaline-filled experience of the labyrinth, a special escape game tour will take place on Friday, 16 August, as part of Brno Day, entitled ‘A Black Ball for General Torstenson’.
Attending several of Brno’s underground attractions may often mean a reduced entrance fee. Find out what else the city’s deep, dark spaces have to offer here.
