Welcome to the official tourism website for Olomouc.
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Olomouc at the top
Three years, three excellent awards by the world’s prestigious guidebook. Lonely Planet made a list of the most beautiful, yet lesser known tourist destinations. It wasn’t the hot springs of Iceland, Gibraltar Rocks, Odysseus' Ithaca or Luxemburg that ranked in first place but the historical center of Olomouc!
The mini guidebook, Secret Europe, presents tourists with fifty cities from different parts of Europe. The largest, world-renowned guidebook publisher attracts tourists to Olomouc by saying that “in terms of tourism Olomouc can be equated to an authentic restaurant which is your own, small, personal secret. The Main Square is amongst the most enchanting in the country. It is surrounded by historical buildings. It is adorned by the Holy Trinity Column listed as the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage. Magnificent churches, many of which host an exciting history, are scattered in the streets of the historical center. Explore the foundations of the ancient Olomouc castle in the Archdiocese Museum which is a must-see and then set out to one of the many pubs or mini-breweries”. In 2012, the publisher also awarded Olomouc by ranking it in the top ten most beautiful hidden treasures in Europe. One year later it was once again on the list of the recommended destinations in Moravia. “It’s beautiful as well as surprising for us. Lonely Planet is to tourist guidebooks what Michelin is to gastronomy. I perceive it as a win in the tourist Olympics,” responded Olomouc mayor, Martin Major, when he first heard of the award. “I am very pleased that the professional editor-in-chief of this publication truly appreciates the beauty of our city, its picturesque atmosphere and its uniqueness.
Apart from other things, Olomouc captivated them by the fact that it offers the same architectural treasures as Prague but without the crowds of tourists. It is definitely Olomouc’s advantage in comparison with our capital. However, despite repeated acclaim from the renowned guidebook, it may only be temporary”, mentioned the mayor, Major, with a smile. The deputy mayor, Jan Holpuch added, “I believe that this is an opportunity to introduce our beautiful city to many other tourists.” “I think that being awarded as a hidden treasure or undiscovered city will give Olomouc an even stronger stamp of attractiveness and will evoke more interest in potential visitors.”
Olomouc has been trying to advertise its beauty in a high-quality and systematic way. In the past years, this attempt has proved effective. Statistically as well as simply looking into the streets of the city center confirms that the number of tourists to Olomouc has truly increased. Olomouc is on the list of destinations offered by travel agencies as for example, one-day trips from Prague or as a part of the Vienna – Krakow route. “Greater advertising in cooperation with the agency CzechTourism certainly helped.
This agency gives Olomouc more space than before”, says Karin Vykydalová, head of the tourism department. “Acclaim from Lonely Planet obviously helps. Ideally, a visitor comes here based on the recommendation, is satisfied here and then recommends Olomouc to his friends back home”, adds Dušan Gavenda of the same department. Lonely Planet Secret Europe can be downloaded for free at: www.lonelyplanet.com/secret-europe.
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: [email protected]
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.
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Cathedrals, Churches and Chapels
- Hradisko Monastery
- St. Catherine's Monastery
- Church of St. Maurice
- Dominican Church
- The Capuchin Church
- Chapel of St John Sarkander
- Church of St. Cyril and Methodius
- Church of St. Gorazd
- St. Michael’s Church
- Church of the Virgin Mary of the Snow
- Chapel of St. Anne
- St Wenceslas' Cathedral
- Minor Basilica of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- Evangelical Church
- Hussite church
- Chapel of Corpus Christi
- Chapel of St. Barbara
- Red Church
Ursuline Convent with the Church of St. Catherine
Kateřinská, 772 00, Olomouc
The former Ursuline Convent, located in today's Kateřinská Street, has been well-preserved, with the interior especially having almost no subsequent modifications. The current monastery complex was rebuilt from the original Renaissance building, whose remains are still partly preserved in the brickwork, after the great fire of 1709. The monastery was built in the Baroque period as a two-storied yet unfinished building complex around two central courtyards. There are still a number of vaulted rooms in the interiors. In the former refectory there is a preserved stucco ceiling with murals. In the nineteenth century, the monastery complex was extended by a further wing in today's Křivá Street.The Gothic Church of St. Catherine is the most valuable object in the monastery. It was built before 1287, together with the original Dominican Convent. Dominican nuns occupied the Convent until 1782, when they were superseded by the The Ursulines, who came here from their original place „Na Bělidlech“, from where today’s Convent entrance gate was taken. The Dominican convent was the last of the early medieval monasteries built in the city.
The Church of St. Catherine was rebuilt in 1362, perhaps by the bishop's building works, which had previously worked on the construction of the Church of St. Maurice in Kroměříž. From this time originates the vaulting of the rectangular end of the presbytery. Some adjustments took place in late 14th and early 15th century, according to shapes of some of the window traceries. During the Renaissance, the western Gothic portal of the church was equipped with an imposing door decorated with a rich ornamental carving. The portal itself originates from around 1400. A Baroque coat of arms of Count Albert Friedrich Vetter of Lily is placed above it. The Convent church was also hit by the devastating fire in 1709. The nave had to be vaulted over with a new groin vault at that time. Another fire in 1800 destroyed the roof of the church and a new roof was built. The church interior underwent the last adjustment, a re-gothization, in the years 1848-1884. In 1987 a restoration of the facade took place, during which the original Gothic windows with stone tracery have been uncovered.
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