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Image:Brno_viewjpg
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View of the Cathedral of St Peter and St Paul (Petrov)
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Image:Cz-coa-Brnopng
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Image:Cz-flag-Brnogif
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South Moravia
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Brno-město
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Brno
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Brno
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Moravia
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2302011
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367,396 <small>''(2005)''</small>
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49°12' N
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16°37' E
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602 00 - 644 00
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278
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58
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29
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48
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Magistrát města Brno<br>Dominikánské nám 1<br>601 67 Brno
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wwwbrnocz/
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wwwbrnocz/
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informace@brnocz
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PhDr Richard Svoboda
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Image:Czech_city_Brnopng
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Map of the Czech Republic which highlights Brno
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(-.
Brno is located in the southeast part of the country, at the
Confluence of the
Svitava and
Svratka rivers.
The city is a political and a cultural hub of the
South Moravian Region (population est. 1,125,000 for the whole 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 crossroad 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 etymology of the name is disputed. Most likely it comes from old Slavic word ''brnie'' (the mud) or ''brniti'' (to armor or to fortify),
{Link without Title} . An alternative explanation derives it from a
Celtic Language spoken in the area before it was overrun by Slavic and Germanic peoples. It is
Cognate with other Celtic words for
Hill , such as the
Welsh word ''bryn''.
Brno as such was acknowledged to be a town in
1243 by
Václav I , King of Bohemia, but the area itself had been settled since the
5th Century . From the
11th Century , a castle of the governing dynasty,
Přemyslovci , stood here, and was the seat of the non-ruling prince.
During the mid-
14th Century Brno became one of the centers for the Moravian regional assemblies, whose meetings alternated between Brno and
Olomouc . These regional authority organs made decisions on political, legal, and financial questions. They were also responsible for the upkeep of regional records.
During the
Hussite Wars , the city remained faithful to King Zikmund. The Hussites twice laid siege to the city, once in
1428 and again in
1430 , both times in vain.
During the
Thirty Years' War , in 1643 and 1645, Brno was the only city to successfully defend itself from Swedish besiegements, thereby allowing the Austrian Empire to reform their armies and to repel the Swedish pressure. In recognition of its services, the city was rewarded with a renewal of its city privileges. In the years following the Thirty Years' War, the city became an impregnable baroque fortress. In 1742, the Prussians vainly attempted to conquer the city, and the position of Brno was confirmed with the establishment of a bishopric in 1777.
In the
18th Century , development of industry and trade began to take place, which continued into the next century. Soon after the
Industrial Revolution , the town became one of the industrial centres of
Moravia — sometimes it was even called the ''Czech
Manchester ''. In
1839 , the first train arrived in Brno. Together with the development of industry came the growth of the suburbs, and the city lost its
Fortifications , as did the
Spielberg Fortress , which became a notorious prison to where not only criminals were sent, but also political opponents of the
Austrian Empire . Gas lighting was introduced to the city in
1847 and a tram system in
1869 .
During the "
First Republic " (
1918 -
1938 ) Brno continued to gain importance — it was during this period that
Masaryk University was established (
1919 ), and the Brno Fairgrounds were opened in
1928 with an exhibition of contemporary culture. The city was not only a centre of industry and commerce, but also of education and culture. Famous people who lived and worked in the city include
Gregor Mendel ,
Leoš Janáček ,
Viktor Kaplan ,
Jiří Mahen , and
Bohuslav Fuchs .
The Second World War caused serious damage to Brno. During the
Nazi occupation many Czech citizens were executed. All the German inhabitants (Brünner-Deutsche) were forced to leave their homeland after the war. About 40,000 Germans were forced to the Austrian border. Thousands of them died on the way (''Brünner Todesmarsch'', Brünn death march) due to exertion. Soon after the war, the Communist revolution took place (
1948 ), and
Communist era ended in
1989 with the
Velvet Revolution .
