Nosislav Fortress

Nosislav Fortress (Czech: tvrz Nosislav, also known as the Nosislav water fortress) is a late Gothic manor house standing in the small town of Nosislav, in the Brno-Country District of the South Moravian Region, roughly 20 kilometres south of Brno. The settlement of Nosislav itself is first recorded in 1278, while the earliest surviving document naming a fortified noble seat on this exact spot dates from 1349. Building historians believe the origins of the structure could reach back into the 14th century as a whole.

Who owned the fortress over the centuries?

Ownership of Nosislav, and with it the fortress, passed through a long line of Moravian noble families. From 1278 the estate belonged to the lords of Drahotuš. By the mid-14th century it was held by a nobleman named Bušek, who handed it over to Blahut of Chrudichrom in 1371. Early in the 15th century the property came to Mikuláš of Rohozov, and from 1422 it belonged to the Hecht family of Rosice. It later passed to Vilém of Batelov, and from 1485 onward the fortress became part of the extensive holdings of the powerful Pernstein family.

What does the fortress look like today?

What survives is a late Gothic structure measuring 11.5 by 7.8 metres, originally the ground floor of a tower-shaped fortified residence. The building once stood two storeys tall, but in 1680 it was reduced by one floor and extended with farm outbuildings. The oldest and best-preserved section is the lower part of the walls, together with an oriel window projecting from the facade. Restoration work also uncovered a painted ceiling that had gone unnoticed for a long time.

Why was a fortress built here?

The fortress did not stand alone. Together with the fortified Roman Catholic Church of St James, it formed part of a defensive system protecting Nosislav. This line of defence guarded the approach to the Brno basin against raids arriving from the southeast, along the course of the Svratka river.

What happened to the site later?

After passing through further owners, the building was used for ordinary farming purposes well into the 1950s, occupied in turn by different peasant households. Since 1964 it has been protected as a cultural monument, a status that has helped preserve its oldest surviving elements to the present day.

The town growing up around the fortress has its own long economic history: the first vineyard here is documented in 1406, and in 1486 King Matthias Corvinus granted Nosislav the rights of a market town. Development peaked in the 16th century, when the town supported a mill, a brewery and wine cellars. The Thirty Years' War brought this growth to a halt, and fires in 1643 and 1828 caused further damage to the settlement.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Nosislav fortress? A late Gothic, originally tower-shaped noble residence dating back to the 14th century, also called the Nosislav water fortress, with a surviving lower wall section and an oriel window.

Where is it located? In the town of Nosislav, in the Brno-Country District of the South Moravian Region, about 20 kilometres south of Brno, on the banks of the Svratka river.

Who owned the fortress? From 1278 the lords of Drahotuš, followed by Bušek, Blahut of Chrudichrom, Mikuláš of Rohozov, the Hecht family of Rosice, Vilém of Batelov, and from 1485 the Pernstein family.

Can visitors see the fortress? The building has been listed as a cultural monument since 1964. Its surviving lower walls, oriel window and a recently uncovered painted ceiling reflect its long history.

What was the fortress used for? Alongside the fortified Church of St James, it served as part of the local defensive system protecting the approaches to the Brno basin from raids coming from the southeast.