Palais Dietrichstein, Brno

Dietrichstein Palace is one of the grandest Baroque buildings in the historic center of Brno, standing on Zelný trh (Cabbage Market Square), right beneath the hill topped by Brno's cathedral.

Who built it and why?

The palace was raised between 1614 and 1618 on the orders of Cardinal Franz von Dietrichstein, Bishop of Olomouc, who wanted a residence worthy of his powerful family in the heart of Brno. The building replaced five separate houses that previously stood on the site. For a long time the original design was attributed to the Italian-Swiss architect Giovanni Giacomo Tencalla, but art historians today consider that attribution unlikely.

Why does it look so different from a 17th-century palace?

Very little of the original early-17th-century structure survives above ground. Around 1700 the palace underwent a major reconstruction directed by the architect Domenico Martinelli, so thorough that only the main walls and some of the original vaulting were left standing — everything else was rebuilt in the Baroque style. It's this renovation, not the original 1618 building, that gives the palace the appearance visitors see on Zelný trh today.

How did its purpose change over the centuries?

The palace's history reflects the shifting fortunes of the Dietrichstein family itself. By the 1770s it had stopped being a residential aristocratic seat and became an administrative building instead. In 1806 it housed the directorate managing the entire Dietrichstein estate, and in 1837 it was converted for use by judicial authorities. Finally, in 1911, the building was purchased by the Moravian Museum, and it has served as a museum ever since.

What's inside today?

Dietrichstein Palace now functions as the main exhibition building of the Moravian Museum, the second-largest and second-oldest museum in the Czech Republic. Its halls hold permanent exhibitions on paleontology, mineralogy, prehistory and the early Middle Ages of the region, alongside collections covering geology, ethnography and archaeology of Moravia. It's a good stop for anyone interested in natural history or regional archaeology — plan for at least an hour if you want to see the main galleries properly.

How do you get there, and what's nearby?

The palace occupies the western side of Zelný trh, one of Brno's most attractive and important squares, centered on the Baroque Parnas fountain. It sits right in the historic core of the city, within easy walking distance of St. Peter and Paul's Cathedral on Petrov hill and of Freedom Square (náměstí Svobody). Because of this central location, a visit to the palace fits naturally into a walking tour of Brno's old town without needing any public transport.

Frequently asked questions

What is Dietrichstein Palace? It's a historic Baroque palace on Zelný trh in Brno, originally built for Cardinal Franz von Dietrichstein, now home to the main exhibition of the Moravian Museum.

When was it built? Construction began in 1614 and finished in 1618, though the building's current Baroque appearance comes from a major rebuild carried out around 1700.

What can you see inside? Exhibitions on paleontology, mineralogy, prehistory and the early Middle Ages, plus collections on the geology, ethnography and archaeology of Moravia.

What was the building used for before it became a museum? It served first as an aristocratic family residence, then as an estate administration office, later as a courthouse, before becoming a museum in 1911.