Les meilleurs hôtels à Brno

Brno is the economic and culture center of the Czech Republic's South Moravian region. Its population of 400,000 leaves the city second only to Prague in size, while central institutions like the Czech Supreme Court and the Ministry of Economic Competition are based here. Situated southeast of Prague, Brno features six higher education institutions, including Masaryk University, the Technical University and the Janacek Academy of Music and Drama -- named for a favorite Brno son, Leos Janacek. Great minds like mathematician Kurt G?del, botanist Gregor Mendel ("the father of genetics"), and physicist / philosopher Ernst Mach thrived as well in Brno's academic climate. Brno architecture offers styles to match the city's long, rich history, including avant-garde from the boom period between World Wars I and II. Centuries old Brno Castle, now called Spilberk, is a focal point of the city, where, for instance, Napoleon Bonaparte overnighted two weeks before his famed victory in the Battle of (nearby) Austerlitz. Modern Brno is noted for hosting trade fairs (about 30 per year), including the International Machinery Trade Fair each autumn. For natural attractions, check out the Moravian Karst caves and catacombs, surrounding forests, gently sloping landscapes and refreshing Brno Lake.