Information Centre
Horní náměstí (Upper Square)
Town Hall's archway
779 11 Olomouc
Opening hours: daily 9:00am –7:00pm
Tel.: (+420) 585 513 385, 392
E-mail: infocentrum@olomouc.eu
Map
Olomouc region Card
Olomouc Region Card is a tourist discount card that allows you to visit Olomouc significant savings. Its purchase to make sure you completely discounted or free admission.
Olomouc and personalities
Military
Lennart Torstensson, Count of Ortala since 1646, participated in the Swedish campaign during the Thirty Years War. In 1641 he was appointed as generalissimo of the Swedish forces, with which he managed to conquer Olomouc in June 1642. The army damaged or completely destroyed much of the town’s monuments, such as the Hradisko Monastery, and in the same time the troops re-fortified the city.
Frederick II of Prussia was King of Prussia from the Hohenzollern dynasty reigning in the years 1740-1786 and one of the greatest military leaders of the 18th century. He raised Prussia to the rank of the great power and extended the dominions of his family. He was an excellent commander, but was less successful during the sieges. In 1758 he tried to conquer the Olomouc fortress, but even after many weeks he wasn’t able to capture the town.
Ernst Gideon von Laudon, one of the most successful Austrian commanders, came from a poor aristocratic family of Scottish origin settled in Livonia. He became famous during the Seven Years' War (1756-1763) attacking bravely a transport of supplies intended for the Prussian army besieging Olomouc.
The famous French general Marquis de La Fayette was imprisoned on May 19th 1794 in Olomouc in the so-called Jesuit barracks-prison (now the building of the Military Administrative Archive on the Republic Square). There is a memorial plaque commemorating the 200th anniversary of the departure of the General from Olomouc placed on the Archive‘s building.
Joseph Radetzky von Radetz, Czech nobleman and Austrian general, was already a legend in his lifetime. He served in the Austrian Army and was adjutant of the field marshal Laudon. He was promoted during the Napoleonic wars. In 1829 he became commander of the Olomouc fortress. He stayed in Edelmann‘s Palace, where a memorial plaque has been placed since 1892.
Josef Bryks was born in Lašťany near Olomouc in 1916. He served as a lieutenant in the No. 33 Squadron in Olomouc in the forties. He was awarded the Order of the British Empire for his participation in the Battle of Britain. After February 1948 he was accused of treason and sentenced to 30 years in prison. In 1991 he was posthumously promoted to the rank of colonel. Josef Bryks has a memorial plaque in Lašťany by Olomouc.
The heraldist and soldier Jiří Louda has been a prominent Olomouc personality for decades. He was active in the Czech resistance on the Western Front and is the author of the conception of the Coat of Arms of the Czech Republic and Coat of Arms of many Czech towns. Jiří Louda also recently adapted the Olomouc coat of arms newly with letters SPQO and created the coat of arms of the Olomouc region.
