Znojmo (ˈznojmo; ) is a city in the South Moravian Region

South Moravian Region

South Moravian Region is an administrative unit of the Czech Republic, located in the south-western part of its historical region of Moravia, with exception of Jobova Lhota, that belongs to Bohemia. Its capital is Brno the 2nd largest city of the Czech Republic. The region is famous for its wine...

 of the Czech Republic

Czech Republic

The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....

, near the border with Lower Austria

Lower Austria

Lower Austria is the northeasternmost state of the nine states in Austria. The capital of Lower Austria since 1986 is Sankt Pölten, the most recently designated capital town in Austria. The capital of Lower Austria had formerly been Vienna, even though Vienna is not officially part of Lower Austria...

, connected to Vienna by railway and road (80 minutes). The royal city of Znojmo was founded shortly before 1226 by King Ottokar I

Ottokar I of Bohemia

-External links:...

 on the plains in front of Znojmo Castle

Znojmo Castle

Znojmo Castle is a castle situated in the city of Znojmo, a historic city in Moravia, Czech Republic.- History :The Znojmo Castle was initially a wooden structure built by the Přemyslid Bretislaus I, Duke of Bohemia, and completed around 1080...

. The city is situated on a rock outcropping on the steep left bank of the Dyje River.

Notable events and persons

Znojmo is best known for the armistice

Armistice of Znaim

The Armistice of Znaim was a ceasefire agreed between Archduke Charles and Napoleon I on 12 July 1809 following the Battle of Znaim, effectively ending hostilities between Austria and France in the War of the Fifth Coalition....

 concluded there in 1809 after the Battle of Wagram

Battle of Wagram

The Battle of Wagram was the decisive military engagement of the War of the Fifth Coalition. It took place on the Marchfeld plain, on the north bank of the Danube. An important site of the battle was the village of Deutsch-Wagram, 10 kilometres northeast of Vienna, which would give its name to the...

 between Napoleon and the archduke Charles. It is also the (alleged) birthplace of Leopold Loyka

Leopold Loyka

Leopold Lojka was the chauffeur of the car carrying Austro-Hungarian Archduke Franz Ferdinand at the point of Ferdinand's assassination in Sarajevo in 1914....

, the driver of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand

Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria

Franz Ferdinand was an Archduke of Austria-Este, Austro-Hungarian and Royal Prince of Hungary and of Bohemia, and from 1889 until his death, heir presumptive to the Austro-Hungarian throne. His assassination in Sarajevo precipitated Austria-Hungary's declaration of war against Serbia...

's car when Ferdinand was assassinated in Sarajevo 1914, an event which triggered the First World War.

Birthplace of the sculptor Hugo Lederer

Hugo Lederer

Professor Hugo Lederer was an Austro-Hungarian-born German sculptor.Lederer studied in Dresden under sculptor John Schilling from 1890, then briefly under Christian Behrens. His greatest success came in 1902 with the commission for a Bismarck tower in the center of Hamburg...

 and writer Charles Sealsfield

Charles Sealsfield

Charles Sealsfield was the pseudonym of Austrian-American journalist Carl Anton Postl , an advocate for a German democracy and author of Romantic novels with American backgrounds and travelogues....

, it also has a special co-operation relation with Harderwijk

Harderwijk

' is a municipality and a small city in the eastern Netherlands.- The history of Harderwijk :Harderwijk received city rights from Count Otto II of Guelders in 1231. A defensive wall surrounding the city was completed by the end of that century. The oldest part of the city is near where the...

, Netherlands

Netherlands

The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...

.

Main sights

The Gothic

Gothic architecture

Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....

 Church of St. Nicholas

St Nicolas’ Deanery Church

Dating back to approx. 1100. Consecrated to St Nicolas, the patron saint of merchants.In 1190 the newly founded Louka Abbey just below Znojmo was given this church by Conrad II, Duke of Bohemia.In the 13th century it belonged to the City of Znojmo....

 and the Late Gothic Town Hall tower

Znojmo Town Hall Tower

The Znojmo town hall tower is situated in the city of Znojmo, a historic city in Moravia, Czech Republic.The tower was contracted by Znojmo counselors in 1445 and was built by a local stonemason Nicholas of Edelspitz from 1445-1448...

 are the most recognizable landmarks. St Nicolas` Church was built in 1348 by Emperor Charles IV

Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor

Charles IV , born Wenceslaus , was the second king of Bohemia from the House of Luxembourg, and the first king of Bohemia to also become Holy Roman Emperor....

, and the town hall, with its 75 m (250 ft) tower, dates from around 1446.

Overlooking the Dyje River valley, on the edge of the medieval city, there is Znojmo Castle

Znojmo Castle

Znojmo Castle is a castle situated in the city of Znojmo, a historic city in Moravia, Czech Republic.- History :The Znojmo Castle was initially a wooden structure built by the Přemyslid Bretislaus I, Duke of Bohemia, and completed around 1080...

, dating back to 11th century, founded by Přemyslid dukes. The only remains of the castle used by the Přemysl dukes is the Romanesque

Romanesque architecture

Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...

 rotunda

Rotunda (architecture)

A rotunda is any building with a circular ground plan, sometimes covered by a dome. It can also refer to a round room within a building . The Pantheon in Rome is a famous rotunda. A Band Rotunda is a circular bandstand, usually with a dome...

, the interior of which is covered with 11th-century fresco

Fresco

Fresco is any of several related mural painting types, executed on plaster on walls or ceilings. The word fresco comes from the Greek word affresca which derives from the Latin word for "fresh". Frescoes first developed in the ancient world and continued to be popular through the Renaissance...

es depicting biblical scenes and illustrating the life of Přemysl

Premysl

Přemysl is a Czech Slavic name that can refer to:* Přemysl, the Ploughman – mythical founder of the Bohemian royal dynasty of Přemyslids* Přemysl I Otakar – king of Bohemia * Přemysl II Otakar – king of Bohemia...

.

Under the city and castle is a vast labrynth of connected passageways and cellars, Znojmo Catacombs

Znojmo Catacombs

The Znojmo Catacombs are a vast labyrinth of underground passageways, cellars and subcellars situated under the historic city of Znojmo, in the Czech Republic...

, developed in the 14th and 15th century for defensive purposes and containing wells, drainage, fireplaces, trap doors and escapeways that led beyond the fortifications of the city.

Notable residents

Franz Woidich

Franz Woidich

Franz Woidich was a Luftwaffe flying ace of World War II. Wernitz was credited with 110 aerial victories claimed in roughly 1000 combat missions. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross...

 (2 January 1921 – 5 July 2004) was a Luftwaffe

Luftwaffe

Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....

 flying ace

Flying ace

A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...

 and Knights Cross holder of World War II.