Biskupský dvůr Castle

Biskupský dvůr is located at Museum No. 1 in the centre of Brno, just below St. Peter and Paul's Cathedral. It is a collection of several buildings surrounding a park-decorated courtyard. Its history goes far back - the existence of the complex is underlined by written documents from 1352. It was originally used as a Gothic building for the probostness owned by the Brno capitula.

A major breakthrough came in 1588 when the Bishop of Olomouc Stanislav II. Pavlovský purchased the building. He wanted to get a representative residence here, and therefore had the Brno builder Antonio Gabrii perform a large reconstruction in a new style. The work on modifications continued after 1600 under the leadership of Cardinal František of Ditrichštejn, who was the successor of Bishop Pavlovský. It was after Bishop Pavlovský that this architectural complex acquired its permanent name - Biskupský dvůr. Ditrichštejna had a significant share in the reconstruction of Brno; He built a nearby Dietrichstein Palace nearby.

Several interesting elements have been preserved from the oldest Gothic stage. The building was preserved with partially exposed brick brick masonry and cut-off broken or rectangular windows. The prism tower is also visible; On her second floor, there is a chapel with frescoes depicting scenes from the life of the saints. During the Renaissance, the buildings were enriched with elements of a new type - an arcade and a single-storey arcade were built, which changed the shape of the original spaces.

The story of the complex was linked to the history of science and culture in the 19th century. In 1818, shortly after its foundation, the Museum of Francisco (part of the later Moravian Museum) established its first seat. In the 1880s, the so-called d'Elvert wings were added; Its main entrance is decorated with a balcony portal, which has been moved over time from the demolished palace of Mitrovský to the Brno Square of Liberty. In 1858, the statue of Mercury's fountain, which was carved by the sculptor Ignác Bendla, was transferred from the same square; Today he stands at the top of the courtyard. The extensive construction and park modifications finalized in 1963 maintained the overall character of the site, although they changed it considerably. In September 2009, the courtyard underwent a comprehensive revitalisation - new reinforcement, restoration of grassy areas - and now serves for various public events including theatre performances.

There are currently collections of the Moravian Museum, especially its natural sciences department and exhibition focused on the history of money, fauna and sponsorship. The complex includes the Historical Hall for Lectures and the Marble Hall for Temporary Exhibitions. The historical layer of the place is supplemented by nature - in the courtyard there are rare specimens of the steeped, fast growing tree, which is located in only a few places in Brno.