Kroměříž is one of the most attractive cities for tourists in Moravia. From 1777 it was the residence of the Olomouc archbishops and it was to their protection that he owed his great development. In 1998, the Archbishop's Palace and its gardens were entered on the UNESCO list.
The history of Kroměříž dates back to the 13th century. The city belonged to the bishopric in Olomouc, and the owners took care of its development. It was first and foremost a trade and craft center, and over time it also became the administrative center of extensive church goods. The times of the greatest splendor of the city fell from the seventeenth to the nineteenth century. The most important buildings of the city were built, which can be admired to this day.
In 1643, Kroměříž was destroyed by the Swedish army. The then bishop of Charles Liechtenstein was involved in the reconstruction. On his order, the Archbishop's Palace Kroměříž was rebuilt, giving it baroque style features. Later, its interiors were decorated in accordance with Rococo fashion and today it is one of the most beautiful and valuable baroque palaces in the Czech Republic. In addition to rich decorations, you can also see, among others works of Titian and Łukasz Cranach.
During the reconstruction of the castle, Bishop Karol Liechtenstein also ordered the establishment of gardens. Together with the palace, the Castle garden and the Flower Garden are on the UNESCO list today. The first is a landscape park with numerous elements of small architecture, bridges, Chinese pavilions and the Pompeian Colonnade. In turn, the Flower Garden was founded in the French style. In its central part there is a rococo rotunda, surrounded by mazes of flowers and low shrubs.
In addition to the monuments related to the former residence of the bishops in Kroměříž, you can also see the pretty Old Town with several Gothic and Baroque churches, the market square surrounded by tenements with colorful facades, and the Kroměříž Museum, which collects monuments related to the city's history.
