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Brno City in Moravia, Czech Republic

Brno is a political and a cultural hub of the South Moravian 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 crossroads 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.

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. The last Czech Moto Grand Prix was won by Loris Capirossi in 2006.Ignis Brunensis, an international fireworks competition, is held each June. The show attracts more than 200,000 spectators regularly.Villa Tugendhat in Brno, 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.The Brno University of Technology, established in 1899, has been developing the Czech Technology Park since 1995. Every September, Brno is home to a large wine festival (Slavnosti vína) to celebrate the harvest in the surrounding wine-producing region. Hantec is a unique dialect spoken in Brno.

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