Why Kroměříž
Kroměříž is a historic town of roughly 28,000 residents located in the Zlín Region of the Czech Republic, approximately 20 kilometres northwest of Zlín. Spanning both banks of the Morava River, where the Haná River joins from the north, the town lies at a geographic meeting point between the Litenčice Hills, the Upper Morava Valley, and the Chřiby range, reaching its highest elevation at Obora hill. It sits within the traditional ethnographic region of Haná and is widely known for its exceptionally preserved historical core, designated as an urban monument reservation.
First mentioned in written records during the early twelfth century, the settlement grew as a market village at a river ford along the Amber and Salt trade routes. Ownership by the bishops and archbishops of Olomouc shaped much of its development over the centuries. After suffering destructive raids by foreign forces in the thirteenth century, the town was replanned with defensive walls, a central market square, and surrounding vineyards under Bishop Bruno von Schauenburg, officially receiving town status in 1290. Despite devastation during the Thirty Years' War, including a Swedish attack in 1643 and a major fire in 1656, the town underwent an extensive late seventeenth-century reconstruction under Bishop Karl II von Liechtenstein-Kastelkorn.
The primary focal point of Kroměříž is its Baroque castle complex and surrounding gardens, which together hold UNESCO World Heritage status. Recognizable by its distinctive polygonal tower—the oldest surviving section of the original episcopal fortress—the castle houses the renowned Castle Gallery, displaying an extensive collection of roughly 500 European paintings, including a notable late work by Titian. Visitors can also explore several historical religious structures, such as the early Gothic Church of Saint Maurice, where Bishop Bruno von Schauenburg is buried, and the late Baroque Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, which features a preserved thirteenth-century bell tower.
Cultural institutions throughout the town offer insight into its civic history and heritage, earning it the traditional moniker "Athens of Haná." The Kroměříž Region Museum presents local exhibits, while an exposition housed within the 1665 Bishop's Mint showcases historical coining traditions. Another dedicated display highlights the life of native artist Karel Kryl. The town maintains an active cultural calendar, regularly hosting the FORFEST international festival of sacred music alongside an international military brass music event.
Travelers can reach Kroměříž via the D1 motorway, which passes through the northern portion of the municipal boundaries between Brno and Ostrava. Rail connections serve the town across two lines—connecting Kojetín to Rožnov pod Radhoštěm and Zborovice to Bystřice pod Hostýnem—with service at the central train station as well as the local stops of Kroměříž-Oskol and Kotojedy.
01 Weather
72°
59°
76°
54°
75°
55°
☔ 26%
63°
52°
61°
49°
58°
46°
02 Top 1 things to do in Kroměříž
