Opava – Silesian Culture and Urban History

Opava: Urban History and Silesia Within Easy Reach

Opava is a destination where urban history, Silesian culture and walks through the city centre can be discovered in close proximity to one another. Almost all major sights are within walking distance. For you, this means that you can organise your sightseeing around different themes without losing sight of the city as a whole. A walk through the city centre leads to buildings from the Gothic, Baroque and Neo-Renaissance periods, historic corners and noteworthy parks.

The Co-Cathedral of the Assumption of Our Lady is the largest church building in Opava and a landmark of the Upper Square, Horní náměstí. It is one of the most important monuments illustrating typical features of Silesian Brick Gothic. Since 1995, the co-cathedral has been listed among the national cultural monuments. Together with the town hall and its distinctive tower, it forms an important landmark in the cityscape. The town hall is now known as Hláska and is considered one of Opava’s best-known symbols as well as a prominent landmark of the city.

Müllerův dům also adds a clearly dated historical trace to the city tour. The building was constructed in 1726 and was originally part of the grounds of a Liechtenstein castle that has since disappeared.

If you would like to get to know Opava through its museums, the Silesian Museum reaches far back in history: It originated as the first public museum in what is now the Czech Republic. The Expozice Slezsko exhibition presents the nature, history, culture and personalities of Silesia to the public in four sections. This allows you to combine different ways of exploring the region without limiting yourself to a single theme.

The Petr Bezruč Memorial offers a more personal historical connection. It was established during the poet Petr Bezruč’s lifetime and stands at the site of his birthplace. The location complements the larger cultural monuments with a stop directly connected to a person and his origins.

The Dendrological Educational Trail is a walking route in the city centre that leads through the park ring and provides information about significant trees. Here, the term educational trail refers to a combination of a route and information: you can not only walk through the park ring, but also learn about individual tree species and their significance along the way.

Opavská dvanáctka offers a culinary trail through Opava. This is a route through Opava where you can taste beers from smaller breweries. In this way, a regionally flavoured taste experience is added to the architecture, museums and parks.

When looking for a hotel in Opava, you can therefore consider whether sightseeing in the city and the ability to reach almost all major sights on foot should be the focus of your travel plans. The possible themes range from Brick Gothic and the history of the town hall to museums and the park ring, as well as Opavská dvanáctka. This makes it possible to clearly define the desired blend of culture, walking, a connection with nature and regional enjoyment when choosing your destination.

Other destinations in the same selection

For further searches, you can also explore Litultovice, Háj Ve Slezsku, Stěbořice, Jilešovice, Štáblovice, Otice, Nové Lublice and Hlavnice.

To the higher-level travel overview: Opava District.