Nearly five hundred people participated in the trips to the sights of Brno

Brno - Today, nearly five hundred people participated in guided tours of notable landmarks in Brno across four different routes. The event was organized by the Association of Czech Guides and the Tourist Information Center of the City of Brno (TIC Brno) in celebration of International Guide Day. The greatest interest was in the route leading through the outskirts of the city, said Hana Baldelliová, spokesperson for TIC Brno, to ČTK today.
    "On the so-called small circuit, people had the opportunity to view the interiors of, for example, the New and Old Town Halls, St. Thomas Church, or the Red Church," said the spokesperson. However, the highest interest was in the four-hour sightseeing tour of sacred monuments in the outskirts of the city - in Husovice, Židenice, and Zábrdovice.
    The Zábrdovice Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, which today is nestled between the Zbrojovka complex and the Military Hospital, is one of the most valuable Baroque buildings in Brno. Based on the foundations of a medieval basilica, the building was designed by imperial court architect Giovanni Pietro Tencala, arguably the most significant builder of the late 17th century in the Czech lands. The church in Husovice is a valuable example of the influence of Art Nouveau on ecclesiastical buildings. According to experts, it is the most interesting modern church in today's Brno, dominating both the district and the Svitava valley. The church in Židenice from the 1930s is an example of interwar architecture.
    The circuit with expert tours of the churches explained by local priests was already hopelessly booked in advance. In contrast, interest in the children's and barrier-free route was below our expectations, Baldelliová added. Last year, around a thousand people participated in the entire event, "Discover the Beauties of Brno." International Guide Day falls on February 21.