cathedral of St. Peter and Paul

The Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul crowns Petrov hill in the heart of Brno and serves as the seat of the Diocese of Brno — its twin spires are the single most recognizable silhouette in the city, visible from countless vantage points.

How old is the cathedral on Petrov?

The building's oldest surviving part is a Romanesque church with a crypt, dating back to the 12th century — likely built either as a court chapel or as a burial site for a person of high standing. Over the following centuries the church was rebuilt and expanded repeatedly, growing alongside Petrov's rising importance as a religious center for Moravia.

Where do the cathedral's famous towers come from?

The cathedral's current neo-Gothic appearance is largely the work of August Kirstein, a Viennese architect trained under Friedrich von Schmidt. Kirstein won an 1901 architectural competition for the design of the towers, and construction of the twin spires — reaching 81 meters — took place in 1904–1905. The façades were reworked in the following years, 1906–1908, clad in sandstone brought from the area around Padochov near Oslavany, with stonework and sculptural details carved from fine-grained Hořice sandstone; a canons' sacristy was added at the same time. Placing the towers at the sides of the presbytery visually shortened the church's mass and gave it a slender, Gothic verticality.

What legend surrounds the cathedral's bells?

Petrov is famous for ringing its noon bells at eleven o'clock rather than at midday. The custom dates back to the Swedish siege of Brno in 1645, during the Thirty Years' War. The siege ran from May to August; a major assault ordered by General Torstensson on 15 August failed, and eight days later the exhausted Swedish forces withdrew. According to legend, Torstensson had vowed that if the city was not taken before the cathedral's noon bells rang, he would call off the siege. The people of Brno supposedly tricked him by ringing "noon" an hour early — and on hearing it, the Swedes lifted the siege. In memory of that day, the cathedral's bells still strike "noon" at eleven every day.

What is the cathedral's status and significance?

The cathedral is a national cultural monument and one of the enduring symbols of Brno — its image even appears on the Czech ten-crown banknote. As the seat of the Bishop of Brno, it functions not only as a place of worship but as the central point of religious life for the whole region.

Can visitors climb the towers, and what's the view like?

The cathedral's towers are open to visitors and rank among Brno's most popular viewpoints — from the top, the panorama takes in the entire historic city center and the surrounding hills. Petrov hill sits right in the heart of Brno, an easy walk from the main square and the rest of the old town, making the cathedral a natural stop on any sightseeing route.

Frequently asked questions

Who designed the cathedral's towers? The towers were designed by Viennese architect August Kirstein, who won an architectural competition in 1901; they were built in 1904–1905.

Why do the cathedral's bells ring noon at eleven o'clock? It commemorates the 1645 Swedish siege of Brno — legend holds that residents rang the noon bells an hour early to trick the Swedish commander into ending the siege.

How old is the oldest part of the cathedral? The oldest surviving section is a 12th-century Romanesque church with a crypt, which later became the core of the much larger present-day building.

Is it possible to go up the towers? Yes, the towers are open to the public and offer a panoramic view over Brno's historic center.