One thing that is a must-visit when you are in Brno is Špilberk Fortress. It’s not very large, like some others that I’ve been to in Europe, but it has its own special appeal and an interesting history nonetheless. The fortress rests on a hilltop in Brno, Southern Moravia. Its construction began in the early years of the 13th century by the Přemyslid kings and was completed by King Ottokar II of Bohemia.
We went on a quiet day and had most of the fortress to ourselves, a private tour. After purchasing our entrance tickets we were provided with a booklet that gave us information about the fortress and its history. We took our time moving through the fortress grounds, going through its sordid history and basking in the unusually good weather.
A breezy walk up the hill.
The entrance where we bought our tickets and the lobby into the fortress.
Our adventure into the fortress begins.
Next we moved into the part of the fortress where prisoners were kept… the dungeons.
The “beds” the prisoners sleep on.
A reenacted torture chamber.
They placed prisoners in the “cracks” in the walls where icy cold water slowly ran over them. You may think this does not hurt, but try imagining this being done to you in the middle of winter.
No heaters, no air-conditioning either. It gets very cold and very hot when hundreds upon hundreds of men are packed into such tight spaces.
No way out. The little light that filters in from above.
After our morbid walk through the dungeon, we finally surface into the warmth of the sun and the world of the living, where we’d like to think ghouls and other-worldly entities are adverse to.
We then headed to the inner part of the fortress and climbed up the look-out tower for a view of the city.
View of the city of Brno from the top of Spilberk Fortress. What a gorgeous day it was! In the distance is the magnificent Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul.
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