Brtnice
The town of Brtnice (543 metres above sea level) lies in a valley of the Brtnice River. The name is derived from a place where beehives used to stand ("brtě" means in old Czech language "beehive"). In historical documents, Brtnice was first mentioned in 1234.
The castle of Brtnice (originally in Gothic style) was built in the 1430's. In the late 16th century, the castle was converted into a Renaissance palace. In the vicinity of the castle compound, the Church of St. Matthew, and later on, the adjacent monastery were built around 1588.
In the square, numerous Renaissance and baroque houses under cultural protection have been preserved. The town hall has the most noticeable facade of all. It was built in the late 16th century.
The native home of the worldwide famous architect Josef Hoffmann houses a museum dedicated to his work today.
Other historical sights are the monastery of Minims' Order, the parish Church of St. Jacob the Elder, the Church of St. Matthew, the historical bridge in front of the town hall or the Jewish Bridge.
Near Brtnice, the ruins of the Rokštejn castle with remains of palaces and a mighty prismatic tower (17 metres) rise above the valley. Brtnice is a popular place with hiking and cycling tourists. The surrounding hills offer nice views of the town and the forest landscape. In winter, a ski tow (356 metres in length, with artificial lighting) can be used.
