Welcoming Kromeriz boasts a UNESCO sight

Often dubbed the Athens of the Hana Region, Kromeriz lies on the Morava River close to the town of Zlin and has approximately 30,000 inhabitants. In 1997 Kromeriz was voted the most beautiful historic town in the Czech Republic and a year later its Archiepiscopal Chateau with the Flower Garden and Castle Garden was added to the prestigious UNESCO World Heritage list. The town regularly hosts music festivals, exhibitions, congresses and conferences.

The Council Hall of the chateau is one of the most beautiful of its kind in central Europe.

The Archiepiscopal Chateau in Kromeriz is among the leading historic buildings in Moravia. It used to belong to the bishops and archbishops of Olomouc who used it as their representative seat. There are a number of halls and smaller salons and lounges whose interiors are beautifully decorated and equipped with original furniture. The picture gallery houses the works of the leading European painters from the 15th – 18th centuries. The famous Castle Garden originally served as a vegetable and flower garden. During the course of the 17th Century it was transformed into a baroque garden and in the 19th Century it was turned into a stylish landscape park extending over 64 hectares with a Lion Fountain and a Triton Fountain. The Flower Garden was founded in 1665 and right from the beginning it was a beautiful example of the connection of the Italian renaissance garden architecture with art, sculptures and craft. A special exhibition called Actis effector will be held in the Rotunda of the Flower Garden from June 5 until August 26 offering visitors a unique space and time-changing experience. http://www.zamek-kromeriz.cz/

At the crossroads of three regions - Hana, Slovacko and Valassko

The reason why Kromeriz earned the nickname the Athens of the Hana Region is that it has always been an art loving town, rich in schools and architectural sights which often used to host poets, writers, painters, sculptors and musicians. Renowned painter Max Svabinsky is Kromeriz´s most famous native and in 2003 a memorial was opened in the town dedicated to the artist. Six spacious halls showcase a chronologically organised selection of the artist´s work. Visitors can see 130 originals (oil paintings, graphics, drawings) which represent seven decades of Svabinsky´s work.  http://www.muzeum-km.cz

No shortage of sights

While planning a trip to Kromeriz, make sure you allow yourself plenty of time because there are interesting things to see on every step of the way. You should see the Velke Namesti (Large Square) with the town hall and numerous renaissance houses, St. Maurice Church, Church of St. John the Baptist, Parish Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, as well as the Church of St. Cyril and St. Methodius. If you are among those who agree with Woody Allen´s quote: “Money is better than poverty, if only for financial reasons“, don´t forget to visit the Bishop´s Mint House where you can see real numismatic treasures. The local collection is among the most significant collections of ecclesiastical mintages in the world. Octarna Hotel houses five mosaic lunette paintings by Max Svabinsky which were originally intended to be displayed in the National Theatre in Prague. To finish off your busy day pop in to the Archiepiscopal Chateau cellars to taste some delicious wine. http://www.mesto-kromeriz.cz

The water power plant at Strž leads the way in technical sights

The construction of the water power plant started in 1920 on one of the banks of the River Morava about 4km away from the town centre and it was put into operation in less than three years. At its time the power plant represented state of the art technology in the then Czechoslovakia and was among the most modern structures in the world. It became a model for later water power plants in the country. Today visitors can still see two original turbines which are fully operational. http://www.virtualtravel.cz/kromeriz/vodni-elektrarna-na-strzi.html

Hold your breath

There is so much on offer in Kromeriz on top of all the history and architecture. Get your adrenalin flowing while having fun at the paintball park, the skate park or on board a sightseeing plane. There are also plenty of rock climbing opportunities nearby. Water Eldorado is a place where you can enjoy some unforgettable experiences such as water skiing, canoeing or tubing. The best way to refuel your engine afterwards is to try some of the local specialities especially “frgály”. “Frgály” are large round cakes with a thin dough base and pear jam topping.

Chropyne and the legend of Jecminek

One of the most beautiful Moravian legends about King Jecminek (Barley) is connected with the town of Chropyne located just under 10km away from Kromeriz. It was a long time ago that the Lord of Chropyne lost all of his money on gambling and imposed higher taxes on his peasants in order to compensate. The people hated him for this and when his good lady pleaded for lower taxes he banished her out of the house. She disappeared in the field of ripe barley where she was later discovered by the women from the village together with a new-born son. They named him Jecminek (Barley). But not even the baby made the cruel lord change his mind and he had both the mother and the son taken far away. No-one has seen Jecminek ever since but people believe that he keeps an eye on Moravia and helps its people.

Today´s Chropyne is a modern town with strong entrepreneurial spirit. The famous local spa, which was destroyed by the flood at the end of last century, has not been restored and the mineral water spring is still waiting to be used. There is a castle and open air pool as well.  http://www.kudyznudy.cz/Aktivity-a-akce/Aktivity/Zamek-Chropyne.aspx.

Cyclists and motorists can venture further away from Kromeriz

The area around Kromeriz is knitted with several cycling tracks. One of them will take you to the undulating countryside of the Chriby and Hostyn Hills. You can also cycle alongside the Bata´s Canal where the cycling track is 80km long. If the cycling tires you out you can take advantage of a boat ride to take a break. For those travelling by car trips to the spa towns of Luhacovice and Zlin are highly recommended.

CzechTourism is a state-funded agency of the Ministry for Regional Development. Its main activity is to promote the Czech Republic as an attractive tourist destination. More information is available at http://scandinavia.czechtourism.com.