Brno is the second largest city in the Czech Republic.
Brno is located in the southeast part of the country, at the confluence of the Svitava and Svratka rivers. The city is a political and a cultural hub of the South Moravian Region (population est. 1,125,000 for the whole region). At the same time, it represents the centre of the province of Moravia, one of the historic lands of the Czech Crown. It is situated at the crossroad of ancient trade routes which have joined the North and South European civilizations for centuries. Thanks to its location between the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands and the Southern Moravian lowlands, Brno enjoys a very pleasant and moderate climate.
The Constitutional Court of the Czech Republic, Supreme Court of the Czech Republic and Supreme Prosecutor's Office of the Czech Republic moved to Brno or were established there in 1993, after the division of Czechoslovakia.
Ignis Brunensis, an international fireworks competition, is held each June. The show attracts more than 200,000 spectators regularly.
Villa Tugendhat, a unique example of modern functionalistic architecture, designed by Mies van der Rohe and built in the late 1920s close to the centre of the city, was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2002. Another renowned architect who changed significantly the modern shape of Brno was Arnošt Wiesner. Many of his functionalistic buildings can be found all around the city.
In the 1990s, after more than 70 years of discussion, the city council decided to build a new main train station farther from the centre of the town and to develop a more modern area of the town, which is currently occupied by train tracks. This plan has been criticised for its possible economical and ecological consequences. The whole Brno railway junction is to be reconstructed, which is very complicated due to its 170 years of development since the first train came to Brno from Vienna in 1839. The construction is projected to finish in 2017.
The Brno University of Technology, established in 1899, has been developing the Czech Technology Park since 1995.
Every September, Brno is home to a large wine festival (Slavnosti vÃna) to celebrate the harvest in the surrounding wine-producing region.
