Brno is the second largest city in the Czech Republic by population and area, the largest Moravian city, and the historical capital city of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/en:Margraviate_of_Moravia" class="extiw" title="w:en:Margraviate of Moravia">Margraviate of Moravia</a>. Brno is the administrative centre of the South Moravian Region and lies at the confluence of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/en:Svitava_(river)" class="extiw" title="w:en:Svitava (river)">Svitava</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/en:Svratka_(river)" class="extiw" title="w:en:Svratka (river)"> Svratka</a> rivers. The city was founded about a thousand years ago, it received city status in the year 1243, and for centuries it served as the capital city of Moravia, until 1948 when the autonomy of Moravia was abolished by the communists. The city flourished mainly during the nineteenth century. Today's Brno is a mixture of many different architecture styles. The most visited sights of the city include the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/en:%C5%A0pilberk_Castle" class="extiw" title="w:en:Špilberk Castle">Špilberk Castle</a> and fortress and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/en:Cathedral_of_St._Peter_and_Paul,_Brno" class="extiw" title="w:en:Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul, Brno">Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul</a> on Petrov Hill, two medieval buildings that dominate the city skyline and are often depicted as its traditional symbols. The other large preserved castle near the city is <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/en:Veve%C5%99%C3%AD_Castle" class="extiw" title="w:en:Veveří Castle">Veveří Castle</a> by the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/en:Brno_Dam_Lake" class="extiw" title="w:en:Brno Dam Lake">Brno Dam Lake</a>. This castle is the site of a number of legends, as are many other places in Brno. <br><span style="color:blue;"><i>The <a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Scotch_Mist/Poland" class="mw-redirect" title="User:Scotch Mist/Poland">Scotch Mist Gallery</a> contains many photographs of historic buildings, monuments and memorials of Poland and beyond.</i></span>
<a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Scotch_Mist" title="User:Scotch Mist">Scotch Mist</a>
<span class="int-own-work" lang="en">Own work</span>