With a population of 6,000, Moravský Krumlov is Znojmo District's second largest town. Seated in a meander of the Rokytná River, the picturesque town has much to show in terms of nature and cultural sights. The most prominent architectonic sight is certainly the mansion, former Renaissance and then baroque castle. The courtyard with arcades is a gem of the Renaissance style on this side of the Alps (designed and built by Leonardus Garus de Bizono.) Moravský Krumlov's mansion has provided shelter for several celebrities in the past-Paracelsus, the outstanding medieval doctor of the lóth century; Jan Blahoslav, bishop of Unitas Fratrum, who was buried here; Napoleon Bonaparte who only paid a brief visit to the place. Names of prominent noble families are found on the mansion's ownership record-Lords of Lipá; Lords of Kravaře; the Lichtensteins; and the Kinský Family who gave up Krumlov in 1945. The mansion now houses the Slavonic Epopee, a series of 20 monumental paintings by Alfons Mucha, a prominent Art-Nouveau painter who spent 18 years working on the Epopee. There is also a small exhibition in memory of Paracelsus who treated the mansion's owner of his time, Earl Marshall Jan of Lipá. The Krumlov domain was confiscated after the battle of White Mountain and sold to the Lichtensteins later. The Lichtensteins brought strong Germanising tendencies to Moravský Krumlov that had not been countered until the l9th century when a Czech school was founded here by M. Odstrčil and his wife. The vast surrounding English park was added in the l8th century and has been cultivated ever since. Baroque modifications were made on the mansion and some other buildings in the town at that time. There are two important sacral sights today: the parochial church and the monasterial church with former monastery. Originally Gothic, both building complexes show signs of baroque conversions. The monastery is now seat of the local Magistrate and the courtyard is used for social and cultural events. Perched on the hill above the town, the l7th-century St Florian's Chapel is still a pilgrimage place. Having suffered heavy destruction from Soviet bombing one day before the end of World War II, the central square has only one historical building-the l3th-century Knight's House built by the German Knight Order and later converted into monastery. Today it houses a museum and gallery. There are accommodation and boarding facilities, banks, and other necessities of modern life in the town. Moravský Krumlov has several high schools and some industries: Vertex, the glass fibre factory; Hutní Montáže, steel structure assembling factory; and Piana-Petrof, the manufacturer of pianos. Moravský Krumlov's surroundings is ideal for walks along the Rokytná River valley where a few protected species of flora have survived. The town is within easy access from Brno and Znojmo.

The Monasterial Square with St Bartholomew's Church. St Florian's Chapel up in the background.

St Florian's Chapel

Krumlov's oldest part with mansion and town walls lined with the Rokytná River.

The Mansion, one of Moravia's largest Renaissance projects. The famous Theoprast Paracelsus's laboratory was accommodated in the tower.