Brno city

Brno, the Moravian metropolis

Brno is a significant city located in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic, renowned for its historical and cultural significance as well as its various economic contributions. Here are some key highlights and facts about Brno:

Geographical Position and Population: Brno is strategically situated at the confluence of the Svitava and Svratka rivers. At the time of the provided information, it boasted a population of approximately 390,000 residents, making it the second-largest city in the Czech Republic, following Prague. The greater Brno metropolitan area encompasses nearly 700,000 people.
Historical Significance: Brno, the former capital of Moravia, holds a special place in the history and culture of the South Moravian Region.
Legal and Judicial Hub: The city plays a central role in the Czech legal system, serving as the home to various key legal institutions, including the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court, the Supreme Administrative Court, and the Supreme Public Prosecutor's Office. Moreover, it houses several state authorities, such as the Ombudsman and the Office for the Protection of Competition.
Educational Center: Brno is a prominent hub for higher education, offering 33 faculties associated with 13 institutes of higher learning. The city is home to an estimated 62,000 students, solidifying its reputation as a vital educational center.
Exhibition Center: The Brno Exhibition Centre is one of Europe's largest and has been a cornerstone of the city's tradition of hosting major exhibitions and trade fairs since its inception in 1928.
Sporting Events: Brno is known for hosting a variety of sporting events, including the popular motorbike races held at the Masaryk Circuit. This tradition, dating back to 1930, includes the prestigious Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix.
Cultural Traditions: The city boasts a rich cultural heritage, exemplified by events like Ignis Brunensis, an international fireworks competition that captivates a large audience with its spectacular fireworks displays.
Architectural and Historical Landmarks: Brno is home to numerous architectural and historical gems, such as the iconic Špilberk Castle and fortress, the striking Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul on Petrov hill, and the picturesque Veveří Castle near the Brno Reservoir. The functionalist Villa Tugendhat was honored with a spot on the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list in 2001.
Natural Attractions: The Moravian Karst, a natural karst landscape, is situated in close proximity to Brno and offers opportunities for outdoor exploration and recreation.
UNESCO Creative Cities Network: Brno is a proud member of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network and was designated as a "City of Music" in 2017, recognizing its rich musical heritage and contributions to the arts.

These elements collectively contribute to the charm and vitality of Brno, making it an appealing and diverse city in the Czech Republic for both residents and visitors.

Hotel Passage

Welcome to the reborn Brno legend. Our hotel was initially built in 1928 as a metropolitan palace, designed by the famous architect Bohuslav Fuchs. Now the hotel gained its original name again and it was also completely reconstructed and renovated. Its former name Slovan, which was given after the nationalization, was now again replaced by the original name Hotel Passage with all its stories, attractiveness and charm. In the very centre of Brno, conference hotel Passage is welcoming you and offers you more than hundred design rooms, first class restaurant and extensive congress centre. The unique art installations will fascinate you already on the facade and further on inside the hotel.

The visual transformation of the hotel is dominated by glass and wood. Thanks to the wooden materials you can enjoy a peaceful ambience, where the outside busy street is replaced by a relaxing space. Cosy and comfortable design rooms have modern and elegant style. Meeting facilities with its 7 conference halls with day light are among the biggest in Brno and offer generous capacity and flexible set up. That´s why Hotel Passage Congress centre is an ideal choice for a company or private event, conferences and congresses, as well as for weddings or birthday parties. The biggest conference room has capacity for up to 700 people and is equipped by LED TV, excellent sound system and state-of-the-art AV technology.

There is also great A´la carte restaurant Bar & Lounge Passage at the hotel led by the famous chef Petr Svoreň. Here you can taste wide range of international and traditional food and drinks, including the variety of wines and signature cocktails. We can assure you of the highest quality of food, which will be appreciated even by the most demanding guests. Try our tasty lunch menu and you will wish
to visit us again.

Entire hotel is Eco-Friendly. We recycle and use gentle cleaning products.

There is also hotel garage connected with the hotel, where you can park your car safely. If you arrive by the public transport, the hotel is located only 100 m from the tram stop, opposite to the Městské divadlo (City theatre).

www.hotelpassage.eu

Conference accommodation special rates

To ensure your comfort and convenience during the conference, please secure your accommodation by following these simple steps:

• Guests who wish to take advantage of our special conference room rates, please contact our reservation team via email at rezervace@hotelpassage.eu.
• When emailing, include the promo code PSE2024 to unlock exclusive accommodation discounts explicitly tailored for conference attendees like you.
• Please note that a valid credit card guarantee is necessary to finalize your reservation. The dedicated reservation team is here to assist you through this process, ensuring a seamless and timely booking experience.

We look forward to welcoming you and wish you a pleasant stay at Hotel Passage!

Tips for trips

One of the most remarkable historical buildings in the center: Old Town Hall

Today, the old town hall serves mainly cultural purposes. In its premises there is an information center and a permanent exhibition about Anton Pilgram. Concerts, festivals, theater performances and film screenings take place in the courtyard.
The area is entered through an arched passage, whose portal with the legendary bent turret is the work of sculptor Anton Pilgram, representative of late Gothic. Two reminders of well-known legends are placed in the passage – the meadow wheel and the crocodile, or Brno dragon.
The dominant feature of the town hall is the town hall tower, which is accessible to the public and which provides a wide view of Brno and the surrounding area. The height of the tower is 62.66 m and 173 steps lead to it. In the tower, you can see a clockwork and an exhibition about the history of the Old Town Hall.

Entrance is free for you with the conference badge.

Beer tour

First tour focusing on the local impact of the world phenomenon of craft brewing in one of the beer capitals of the world. No touristic overcrowded places! You will experience craft beer places where locals go to enjoy best Czech ales and lagers. We are young Czech professionals, licensed beer sommeliers and home brewers. Dive with us into the Czech beer culture and experience the true nature of local craft and venture off the overtouristy places and connect with us over a cold one. We will have a total of 5 beers, from lagers to specials. The beers are normal size

Date: 22.5.2024
Time: 18:00 - 21:00
Meeting point/start: Hotel Passage, Lidická, Brno
Language: English
Price: 70 EUR, for more information and payment see the registration

Other free entrance for conference participants

(with the conference badge)

10-Z Bunker

This bunker was originally an air-raid shelter built during World War II against American and Soviet bombs. After 1946, it housed a wholesale wine store called Löwy & Šmíd. A mere two days after the coup in February 1948, the wine store was confiscated by the Communist government. The shelter was completed in 1959 and was intended to protect up to 500 people important for controlling the city and region for three days.
More information here.

Art Design fashion

More information here.

Permanent exhibitions Pražákův palác

More information here.

Villa Tugendhat garden

Visiting is possible every day except Mondays, during the following opening hours. More information here.

Villa Löw-Beer garden

More information here.

https://www.gotobrno.cz/en/place/10-z-bunker-kryt-10-z/

Accommodation

Conference accommodation special rates

To ensure your comfort and convenience during the conference, please secure your accommodation by following these simple steps:

We look forward to welcoming you and wish you a pleasant stay at Hotel Passage!

How to get to Brno

There are two main airports useful for travel to Brno – Vienna airport and Prague airport. There are numerous flights from all European destinations to these airports, and Brno is easy accessible from both.

Numerous train and buses can be used for both options – average time of travel is two hours from Vienna and three hours from Prague.

Masaryk University Centre for International Cooperation well summarized the connections from airports to Brno, and you can access all this info using the following link:

https://czs.muni.cz/en/student-from-abroad/international-student-guide/how-to-get-to-brno

If there are specific questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at pse2024@pharm.muni.cz.