Obilní trh

Obilní trh is a small square with a park in Brno's Veveří district, stretching between Údolní and Gorkého streets. It combines a green pocket within dense city housing with a history that reaches back to the 19th century, and it sits right next to one of the city's major hospitals.

Where does the square's name come from?

The site of today's Obilní trh had a very different past. It first served as a horse-training ground, then became a clay pit used for brick-making. In the first half of the 19th century the pit was filled in, and by 1834 the ground had been paved over. A meat market opened on the spot, and toward the end of the 19th century farm produce was traded here too — which is how the square got its name, "Obilní trh," literally "Grain Market."

How did the buildings around the square take shape?

The square's outline and the surrounding plots were set out by a regulatory plan drawn up by Brno's municipal building office in 1877. Over the following decade, apartment buildings went up along the eastern side, including houses belonging to Egidius Philipp and three houses built for Hubert Olberth to a design by Wilhelm Dworak. The same side of the square also gained the Provincial Maternity Hospital building — today it houses the maternity ward of Brno's Faculty Hospital, at Obilní trh 11.

What is inside the park on the square?

The park at Obilní trh was laid out in 1906–1907, right on the ground of the former clay pit once it had been dug out and filled in. Rows of trees and flower beds give the spot the feel of an intimate green pocket tucked among the surrounding apartment blocks. The section of the park closer to Gorkého street holds a children's playground, a drinking fountain, and a concrete chess table, making it a popular spot for locals from the nearby buildings to unwind. Scattered around the square are also plaques tied to Brno's "poetic" city-plaque project.

Who should visit Obilní trh?

The square suits travelers looking for a quiet break from Brno's traffic — a bench under the trees, a stroll along the park paths, or a game of chess at the concrete table offer an easy way to rest between exploring the city center and the Veveří district. Because of the hospital next door, the square also serves as a landmark for anyone heading to the maternity ward at Obilní trh 11.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is Obilní trh located? The square sits in Brno's Veveří district, between Údolní and Gorkého streets.

Where does the name come from? It refers to the farm-produce trade that took place here toward the end of the 19th century — before that, a meat market operated on the site, and even earlier the ground served as a horse-training ground and a clay pit.

When was the park on the square created? The park was laid out in 1906–1907, on the site of the former, filled-in clay pit.

What can visitors do in the park at Obilní trh? Visitors can relax along tree-lined paths, let kids use the playground, drink from the fountain, or play chess at the concrete table near Gorkého street.

Is there a notable building next to the square? Yes — the eastern side of the square holds the former Provincial Maternity Hospital building, now home to the maternity ward of Brno's Faculty Hospital (Obilní trh 11).