Brno’s sacred past and present is to be presented through the “Brno and its Temples” project, organised by TIC BRNO. It includes guided tours and lectures about Brno churches and important personalities connected with the church, as well as the opportunity to visit seven Brno churches which are not regularly open during the year. This year’s event will start on 16 June with an opening concert. Photo credit: Michal Růžička
Brno, June 8 (BD) – For many years Brno has been a cultural mosaic where people of different nationalities and religions have met and continue to meet. In and around the city centre there are Orthodox, Evangelical, Greek and Roman Catholic churches and a Jewish synagogue. In addition to the cathedral, basilica, churches and temples, these places of worship include smaller churches and chapels. The “Brno and its Temples” project invites the people of Brno to discover all these places.
“Brno has always been a meeting point for several cultures and religions. Multiculturalism is part of Brno’s identity. We want to introduce this to visitors and enrich them with further insight into Brno’s history and present,” said Jana Janulíková, director of TIC BRNO. “This year, we cordially invite visitors to the opening concert with the Horňácká muzika of Petr Mička, which will take place on 16 June in the Paradise Garden at the Augustinian Abbey on Mendlovo náměstí. At the same time, you will also be able to visit the Museum of the Old Brno Abbey, where a rare original of Rubens’ painting Saint Augustine is now hanging.”
The opening concert of the project will feature an interpretation of musical folklore from Horňácko performed by Petr Mička’s Horňácká muzika and its soloists. In various vocal forms and musical configurations, a diverse repertoire of songs originating in the Horňácko region, including religious songs, will be performed.
From 15 June to 15 September, from Tuesday to Saturday, visitors can visit the Basilica of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, the Church of St. Thomas (both 1.30-5.30 pm), the Church of J. A. Comenius and the Church of St. Michael (both 2-6 pm). The Minorite Church of St. John and Loreto will welcome visitors almost all day. Two special places will also open their doors: the youngest church in Brno, Bl. Marie Restituta in Lesná (Saturdays from 2-5 p.m.), and the oldest functioning church in Brno – St. Jilja in Komárov (Saturdays and Sundays).
The project also includes guided walks. On a completely new route, suitable for parents with children, visitors will follow the footsteps of the Brno Jewish community and find out what the medieval ghetto looked like, where the former large synagogues used to stand and why there are no longer any historical Jewish monuments in Brno. Those guided tours are only in Czech but TIC Brno is providing a guidebook which introduces the 17 most important churches in Brno, including those that are regularly open, available for download here. You can also find some information materials in the different churches in many languages including English.
