areál střelnice v Brně Building complex

Welcome to the Brno Writers. Stop for a moment, take a breath and feel the space around you. You are standing in a place that is a real witness to the transformation of our city. The river Svratka flows around you and it is this closeness of water that has created the whole character of this complex. When you look around today, you may see the sports atmosphere, but beneath the surface of the present, there is a layer of history that goes deep into the nineteenth century. This is where the social need for discipline, the joy of movement and the ambition to achieve unprecedented performance met.

Let's go back in time together so that this space can tell us its story. It all started in the middle of the nineteenth century. Imagine Pisárky from when they were much more entrenched in green and calm. In 1845, a major step took place when the bourgeois shooting association acquired the land on which Joseph Vinzenz Bayer's spa had previously stood. It was a period when the shooting clubs were not just about the gun exercises themselves, but they served as important social centers for the Brno townspeople. It was places of meeting, pride and self-care. After two years of preparation and construction, in 1847, the shooting range was completed. It was this year that this place became the official point on the map of Brno's social life.

Now pay attention to the surrounding space and let's try to imagine what this area looked like in the days of its shooting glory. Although time has changed, in the background of this place there remains a trace of a very specific architectural element. Notice the layout of the terrain. An important part of the compound was once a shooting wall. Imagine a massive structure that was 60 meters long and seven meters high. This wall was not just a simple burden on the landscape, but it served as a necessary protective wall that ensured the safety of all present during the exercise. The whole space was designed to fulfil its purpose, and in later stages of development the architect Rudolf Fleitcher, whose name is closely linked to the development of this place, was involved.

But how did it happen that a place full of shots turned into a sports center? Time passed and the city's needs changed. At the beginning of the twentieth century, the complex underwent a fascinating transformation. The shooting range gave way to new trends, which were mass sports and healthy movement in the fresh air. The space was transformed and a modern sports grounds were created here. If you look around now, see the space where the cycling track, football field and the athletic oval once spread out. It was a period of great optimism and booming physical education.

The interwar period then brought this place a golden age. The stadium of the Moravian Slavia club opened here in 1919. The area became the true heart of Brno sport. Imagine the noise of thousands of spectators, the excitement of every goal scored and the tension of every start on the bike track. Pisárky was at that time a place where people from all over the city came to see their heroes in action.

There are stories about this place that sound almost legendary. Let's remember 1926. This is where the first rugby match took place throughout Czechoslovakia. Introduce yourself at the moment when the audience watched an unknown, rough and dynamic sport, which came from far away regions and first met here in a duel. It was the birth of a new era in our sport history.

And when we talk about extraordinary performance, we must not forget one name that left a deep mark in the writers. It was František Douda. In 1931 a moment took place here, which raised Brno sport to the world level. František Douda matched the world record in the ball litter at this stadium. Try to imagine the moment of focus, the strength of the shot from the shoulders and the moment when the balls hit the ground and everyone knew something historical had just happened.

Apart from athletes, people from the highest social classes visited the complex. One of the most important guests was Emperor Franz Joseph first, who visited the area in 1892. Imagine the period of revenge, the military salute, the ceremonial clothing and the strict protocol that accompanied the arrival of the sovereign. At that time the area was still perceived primarily as a shooting range and his visit by the Emperor was the highest recognition of the importance of this place for the city of Brno.

If you're standing in this area today, you might be wondering what's left of it. History is not always visible at first sight in the form of monumental buildings, but is present in the very arrangement of the country and in the spirit of this place. It is fascinating to think that under the feet, where athletes may be running or people are walking down the river, the Bayera Spa was once standing, after which there were gunshots, and then there were rumours from the first rugby games.

This place is like a book where every decade she wrote a new chapter. From the discipline of the shooting club to imperial visits to world records in the athletic arts. It is a place that reminds us of how our priorities change and how the city of Brno developed in line with the times.

Now I encourage you to look around slowly. Feel the atmosphere of Pisarik, listen to the noise of Svratka and try to combine all these images in your mind. From the 60-meter wall of protection to the victorious litter of Franz Douda's ball. All these shards form the mosaic of this unique place.

Thank you for joining me on this short journey in time. Now there's room for your own discovery. Go through the premises at your own pace, feel its space, and you may find your own inspiration there. I wish you a pleasant continued tour of the Brno Písárek and accompanying walks along the river. Goodbye.