Unique Sights of Kroměříž: What to See in One Day

Thanks to the science enthusiasts of the time, Kroměříž has kept a range of exhibits, some a little bizarre, others of world importance, and all of them worth seeing with your own eyes.

Foucault’s Pendulum in the Kroměříž Rotunda

One truly exceptional experience no visitor to Kroměříž should miss is exploring the famous Foucault’s pendulum. When the physicist Foucault presented his experiment in 1851, he gave the world the first visual proof that the Earth rotates on its axis.

About half a century later, a replica of the famous pendulum was installed on the initiative of Kroměříž professor František Nábělek in Květná zahrada (the Flower Garden). Thanks to him, you can still see this ingenious invention today, built around a 20-kilogram ball hanging from a string more than 20 meters long. A point attached to its underside traces a path in fine sand that follows the Earth’s rotation.

You’ll find Foucault’s pendulum right at the center of the Flower Garden, in the famous Rotunda. The octagonal building went up in the second half of the 17th century and still impresses with its rich stucco decoration and frescoes of mythological scenes, some of them inspired by Ovid’s Metamorphoses.

You can visit the Rotunda on regular guided tours in season, or by arrangement off-season, and see a place where art and science meet in a rare way.

An Unusual Astronomical Clock

Just when you think Kroměříž has nothing left to surprise you with, head to Muzeum Kroměřížska (the Museum of the Kroměříž Region) on Velké náměstí (Great Square). Besides three permanent exhibitions covering the town’s early history and the life and work of local native Max Švabinský, you’ll come across a strange invention called Linduškův časostroj (Linduška’s Time Machine).

Local cooper Jan Linduška built this beautifully decorated timepiece in 1929. A whole series of dials in different sizes shows the time, of course, but also the date, the seasons and the lunar cycles.

Linduška’s Time Machine is another example of how interested the people of Kroměříž were in science, and everything connected to it, at the start of the last century. There’s only one Linduška’s Time Machine, and it’s well worth seeing.

What to See in Kroměříž

Kroměříž is nicknamed the Athens of Haná. Its most important landmark is Arcibiskupský zámek (the Archbishop’s Chateau) with its gardens, a UNESCO-listed site.

Beyond the chateau grounds, Great Square and its surroundings are worth a walk, and Kroměříž has also kept its Jewish quarter. The places below fit into a single walk from morning to evening.

Birthplace of Karel Kryl

Karel Kryl was born in Kroměříž, and the house where he was born still stands. The town has dedicated a permanent exhibition to the singer-songwriter’s life, work and personality.

The exhibition is built around experience. Instead of dry dates, it tries to capture the emotions behind Kryl’s songs and guide visitors through the inner world of the best-known figure of Czech protest song.

Mirror Maze

The mirror maze stands right on Great Square and works with 200 crystal mirrors and panes of glass. Younger kids get a simpler version.

Once you find your way out of the labyrinth, you continue straight into an exhibition of cartoon humor that matches the maze’s relaxed mood.

Town Hall

The town hall on Great Square has foundations dating back to the 12th century. Its present look comes mainly from Bishop Franz von Dietrichstein.

Over the centuries, the town hall went through many alterations, gaining a balcony and a double staircase that gives the building an almost fairy-tale look.

Observatory

If you stay in Kroměříž into the evening, don’t skip the observatory. Local astronomy enthusiasts built it in the last century, and today its professional equipment lets you observe the night sky.

Visitors watch the solar system and learn more about meteor showers, the Kroměříž observatory’s specialty.

Cellars

Beneath the Archbishop’s Chateau lie wine cellars founded as early as the 13th century. You can combine a cellar tour with a tasting and see what Kroměříž wine can do.

Kroměříž for a Company Outing

The gardens, the square and the chateau are close together, which makes Kroměříž a good fit for a trip with colleagues too. You can explore the town with Treasure Hunt Kroměříž: teams see all the treasures on a map on a tablet or phone in our GPS app and choose their own order. A company day comes together easily: the game in the morning, a cellar tour with a tasting after lunch and the observatory in the evening.

Each game keeps a team busy for 2 to 3 hours, and you can play it as a self-guided game or as a full-service program with instructors carrying tablets.

Peace of mind comes with every booking: if it rains, the city game switches to a story game in indoor mode and the program goes ahead on the original date. Book tours of the Rotunda, the cellars and the observatory for your group in advance.

Pick a date for your trip on the Treasure Hunt Kroměříž page.

If you’d like to see the neighboring regional city after Kroměříž, you’ll find another game on the Treasure Hunt Olomouc page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Short answers for planning your trip to Kroměříž.

What Can You See in Kroměříž in One Day?

In one day, you can fit in the Archbishop’s Chateau with its gardens, the Rotunda with Foucault’s pendulum in the Flower Garden, and Great Square with the town hall, the mirror maze and the Museum of the Kroměříž Region. The evening belongs to the observatory.

Why Is Kroměříž on the UNESCO List?

The Archbishop’s Chateau with its gardens, the most important landmark in Kroměříž, is on the UNESCO list.

Where Is Foucault’s Pendulum in Kroměříž?

A replica of Foucault’s pendulum hangs in the Rotunda at the center of the Flower Garden. In season, you’ll see it on regular guided tours; off-season, by arrangement.

What Is Linduška’s Time Machine?

An ornate astronomical clock built by Kroměříž cooper Jan Linduška. Its dials show the time, date, seasons and lunar cycles, and you’ll find it in the Museum of the Kroměříž Region on Great Square.