Treasures from museum collections

You can start your journey through the region in the heart of the mountain paradise – in Jeseník. Jeseník Water Fortress will show you the treasures of local nature as well as the infamous witch trials. One of the oldest north Moravian aristocratic residences, Úsov Chateau, houses the Hunting and Forestry Museum, a truly unique collection of hunting trophies and natural science items.

Jeseník Water Fortress

The Water Fortress was established in the 13th century at the junction of strategic trade routes. It now houses permanent exhibits of the local history, flora and fauna, and the cellars offer the interactive Witch Trials Exhibition, which utilises modern technology to present one of the saddest periods in the region’s history, one that cost the lives of hundreds of innocent people in the 17th century. Replicas of torture implements are also on display there.

Úsov Chateau

Originally a Gothic castle from the early 13th century, the chateau gained its Baroque form under the rule of the House of Liechtenstein, who often went on hunting expeditions around Europe, Asia, America, and Africa. You can see approximately ten thousand exhibits here – from stuffed animals, to minerals, to the models of forest buildings, and hunting and poacher’s firearms. You will surely be captivated by the interactive Journey Through the Middle Ages, focusing on pottery, the building trade, and extraction of metals. There are also two exhibits for children.

Tips in the environs

Kolštejn – Renaissance chateau with preserved parts of the original Gothic castle, redeveloped into the historic Chateau Goldenstein Hotel.

Accommodation tips

Lovecká chata, Horka nad Moravou; Penzion a restaurace Náš Sobáčov

Restaurant tips

Restaurace Perk, Cukrle, Šumperk; Čokoládovna (Chocolate Shop), Troubelice

Konice Chateau is home to the unique Museum of Local Handicrafts with the largest collection of axes in the Czech Republic. Archdiocesan Museum Olomouc specialises in sacral art of the 12–18th centuries. You surely shouldn’t miss the Black Tower in Drahanovice.

Konice Chateau

The Baroque chateau with two gardens presents handicrafts with long regional traditions, such as milling, blacksmithing, brewing, and dressmaking. The museum also boasts the largest collection of axes, recorded in the Czech Book of Records. There are all existing types of axes – from ancient ones, to axes for various trades, including the executioner’s axe, to the largest axe and lumberjack’s saw in the Czech Republic.

Black Tower in Drahanovice

A remnant of a Gothic citadel from the turn of the 13–14th century, the four-storey tower, with a height of 28 metres, is a unique monument of the lesser gentry in Central Moravia. Tours of the tower and its exhibition about the history are individual, with a commentary on request. The uppermost floor is now a gallery.

Olomouc Castle

This was one of the most important Czech castle complexes of the High Middle Ages. The permanent exhibition of the Archdiocesan Museum introduces visitors to the spiritual culture of the Olomouc Diocese, showcasing marvellous paintings collected by Olomouc bishops since the 16th century.

Tips in the environs

Náměšť na Hané – visit not just the Classicist chateau with a round park, but also the nearby chapel and remains of a medieval castle.

Accommodation tips

Long Story Short, Herbarium Boutique Hotel, Olomouc

Restaurant tips

Balnea and Morava restaurants, Slatinice; Bělecký mlýn, near Prostějov; Bistro Nro. 66, Olomouc

Přerov Chateau is home to the Comenius Museum – the world’s oldest museum of its kind. The Renaissance chateau in Dřevohostice is among the most important monuments of the Moravian Renaissance.

Přerov Chateau

A hill fort stood at the site in the 11th and 12th centuries, and the Gothic castle was rebuilt into a Renaissance chateau in the 16th century. The Comenius Museum, relocated to the chateau in the early 1930s, preserves rare exhibits in its mineralogy, entomology, and archaeology collections, and presents the life and work of John Amos Comenius, complemented by period reconstructions of classrooms. There is also an exhibition of Haná ethnography.

Dřevohostice Chateau

The Renaissance chateau has an arcaded gallery and is surrounded by a moat. Visitors can tour its typical chateau exhibits, but the other halls and even the attic include many other items of interest. The tour also includes an exhibit of historic firefighters’ helmets and the front buildings house the Fire Brigade Museum.

Tips in the environs

Tovačov Chateau – its 96-metre-high Slender Tower provides a breathtaking view of the surrounding water kingdom full of lakes and ponds.

Restaurant tips

Restaurace U Bukáčků, Restaurace a pivnice U labutě, Přerov