SAINTS-PETER-AND-PAUL CATHEDRAL

From Zelný Trh square, take the small Petrská street (south-west of the square) to reach Petrov hill, on which stands Brno Cathedral. Surrounded by the bishop's palace complex (Biskupský Palác), the church is topped by impressive, romantic spires that have quickly become symbols of the city of Brno. Built on the site of the city's first castle and a Romanesque basilica (and perhaps even a temple dedicated to Venus), this originally Gothic church was burnt down by the Swedes in 1645. It was rebuilt in Baroque style, then refurbished in Gothic style in the ^19th century. Inside, you're immediately overwhelmed (and that's the whole point) by the main altar, 12 m high and decorated, in particular, with statues of St. Peter and St. Paul, sculpted by Viennese artist Josef Leimer in 1881. The high stained glass windows behind the altar are absolutely superb, extremely colorful and rich in detail. The part of the building surrounding the altar enjoys a deep, warm light, contrasting with the rest of the cream-colored building. This interior may be hiding a secret: specialists are currently testing the hypothesis that the cathedral still holds the bones of St. Constantine, the father of Christianity in Central Europe. You can climb to the top of a tower to admire the city. Or descend into the ^12th-century crypt.