Mikulov is a city in Moravia, which is known as the local wine-growing center. Located on the hills, sometimes called the Czech Tuscany, it has a unique charm, and the local monuments, including the Palace and valuable churches are among the most important in the region.
A market settlement existed in the place of the present Mikulov from the 12th century. In the fifteenth century it received city rights, and already two centuries earlier belonged to one of the most important Czech noble families of Liechtenstein. In the 16th century, Mikulov passed into the hands of the Dietrichstein, to whom he belonged until the end of World War II. After the battle of Austerlitz, Napoleon Bonaparte stayed at the local castle, and in 1866 an Austrian-Prussian peace was signed here after the battle of Sadowa.
Above the city towers the Castle Hill, on which stands the baroque Palace in Mikulov. It now houses the Regional Museum, where, in addition to art collections, monuments from the former castle library, and a collection of finds from the Roman period, you can also see an exhibition about winemaking and its history in Moravia.
Below the Palace is the Old Town centered around the Mikulov Square. Many Renaissance and Baroque tenement houses with colorful facades have been preserved here. There is also a church of St. Anna with the graves of the Dietrichstein family and the baroque churches of St. Wenceslaus and St. John the Baptist. In the center of the market stands the Holy Trinity Column from the 18th century, and the eye-catching sgraffito-covered tenement house Pod Rycerzami.
There is a Holy Hill on the outskirts of Mikulov. It is an excellent vantage point to the city, as well as a local pilgrimage center. At the top is the Chapel of St. Sebastian, and around there are also smaller chapels and a bell tower.
The Palava hills surrounding Mikulov are covered with vineyards. In the city and its surroundings you can visit many vineyards and wineries, which offer tasting of their liquors. The most famous wine from Mikulov is St. Urban. In the Palava mountains there is also an interesting attraction, which is the karst cave on Turold.
