Břeclav
Just a few kilometers from the border of the Czech Republic with Austria lies Břeclav, a district town with a population of about 26,000 and through which the river Dyje flows. Perhaps for many tourists and readers of our website it will be a surprise that the city of Břeclav is not so old. It became a town only thanks to Emperor Francis Joseph I in 1872 in connection with the management of the first railway junction in the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. Also today, the city of Břeclav is an important railway junction and thanks to the close proximity of the Lednice-Valtice area, it is also a very popular and popular tourist destination.
Information for visitors
Interesting facts Břeclav
History of the town
The foundations of the local castle in the middle of the 11th century by Prince Břetislav I, after whom Břeclav was also named, are closely connected with the beginnings of Břeclav. It was one of the administrative centers in Moravia, initially wooden and later, in the 13th century, rebuilt from stone.
The great blow to Břeclav was dealt by the Hussite wars and disputes between Matyáš Korvín and Jiří z Poděbrad. At that time, the town and the surrounding villages were destroyed, and from Břeclav the population that survived the fighting moved to the castle and founded Nová Břeclav here, while the original Břeclav was called Stará Břeclav.
During the first half of the 16th century, the territory of Stará and Nová Břeclav was owned by the Žerotín family, and it was they who initiated the reconstruction of the castle into a Renaissance chateau. In 1618, however, the manor was confiscated by confiscation and from 1638 it was the property of the Liechtensteins, as well as the neighboring Valtice and Lednice.
Both Stará and Nová Břeclav were then almost destroyed during the Thirty Years' War, the estate uprising and the clashes with the Ottoman Empire. At the time when the Liechtenstein estate was being renovated, the Břeclav chateau also underwent a romantic building renovation and acquired the appearance of a romantic ruin.
In the 19th century, a railway was introduced here, after which the first train arrived on June 6, 1839. In 1872, Břeclav finally received the official proclamation of the town.
Sights and interesting places
Břeclav can be considered a kind of gateway to the Lednice - Valtice area, which often serves as a base for trips to the surrounding area. Accommodation options are therefore rich, as well as cultural life.
The mentioned chateau is not currently open to the public, however, the Church of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary or the modern church of St. Wenceslas.
The Jewish community in Břeclav left a cemetery and a synagogue from 1868, which is currently used for cultural purposes.
Author: Andrea Štyndlová