The region of today's Ostrava had been an entering point to the Moravská brána (Moravian Gate) since very old days , where venerable trails from the Baltic Sea to the Mediterranean Sea used to lead. The Landek Hill was settled by mammoth hunters, who were the first people in the world to use coal from local, to the present day exposed coal seams, to maintain their fireplaces 30 thousand years ago. The region was inhabited mainly in the l3th century. Today's Slezská Ostrava (Silesian Ostrava) was mentioned for the first time in 1229 and City of Moravská Ostrava (Moravian Ostrava) in 1267. In the middle of the last century there was an ample growth of coal, metallurgical, engineering and chemical industries thanks to a discovery of coal in 1763. Founding of the Rudolph's Smelter in the neighbouring village of Vítkovice in 1828 laid a foundation for the inception of today's Vítkovice, a.s., which is known world- wide. Today's Ostrava, with its 329,000 inhabitants, continuously strengthens its metropolitan reputation as administrative, business, industrial and social centre of the region, residence of Roman catholic Bishops. The city is accessible from several directions both via road communications as well as via railway network. Air transportation to and from the region has been provided since 1959 thanks to the International Mošnov Airport. There are numerous possibilities in the city to see and visit various places of cultural and historical significance, like the following ones: the Jiří Myron Theatre from 1894, the Antonín Dvořák Theatre from 1907, House of Arts, Art Gallery with extensive collections, established in 1926, the Old Town Hall from the lóth century, the Divine Saviour Basilica from 1889-the second largest cathedral in Moravia for 4,000 people, St Wenceslas's Church from the middle of the l3th century, the Plague Post with the sculpture of Virgin Mary dating back to 1702, the wooden Saint Catherine's Church in Hrabová from the l6th century, the ruin of the Castle of Silesian- Ostrava from the late l3th century, the New Town Hall built in 1930, with the almost 86 m high tower, and others. A Coal Mining Museum was opened in 1993 where the former coal mine of Anselm in Petřkovice had been. Visitors will find documents on the development of the Ostrava-Karviná Mining District, starting with the original tunnels from the beginning of the l9th century up to the modern, present-day mining technology. There are several large sport complexes with sports grounds, running tracks, outdoor and indoor swimming pools, and tennis courts in Ostrava. There is a golf course of world standard in Šilheřovice near Ostrava, situated in the beautiful surroundings of castle park.

The Empire Bridge (today Miloš Sýkora Bridge). This technically unique structure was built between 1912 and 1914

The Bishop's Cathedralthe three-naves Basilica of Divine Saviour was built in Italian Renaissance style between 1883 and 1889 by Gustav Meretta, the official architect of the Archbishop of Olomouc

The Plague Post with the sculpture of Virgin Mary dating from 1702 and the 1539 Old Town Hall, today the Town Museum

One of mines in Ostrava, today mere reminder of the extraction of bituminous coal (former coal Henry mine from 1846)

The illustration of contemporary Ostrava civil architecture of the 1990s - 'The Integrated House'

The monumental New Town Hall dating from 1930 is the seat of the Municipal Authorities. Unique 86-meter high tower is open to the public daily

In the second half of the 1890s, the parish church of Přívoz was built in neo-Gothic style by the Wienna architect Camillo Sitte who also designed the Přívoz Town Hall, the parish presbytery and number of other buildings in this part of the town

The part of Masaryk Square with citizens' houses in Secessionist style from the beginning of the 20th century

The Polisch House in Secessionist style from 1900 was reconstructed and now is a place of cultural significance

Antonín Dvořák Theatre from 1907 is one of the buildings of National Theatre of Moravian Silesia