Znojemské podzemí

Znojmo's Underground Passages - Znojmo Catacombs


Useful Information

Location: Znojmo. 190 km SE of Prague, 65 km S of Brno
Open: APR Mon-Sat 10-16.
MAY so JUN daily 9-16.
JUL to AUG daily 9-20.
SEP daily 9-16.
OCT Sat 10-16.
[2010]
Fee: Adults CZK 50, Children CZK 30, Children (0-5) free, Reduced CZK 30.
[2010]
Classification: SubterraneaCellar
Light: LightIncandescent Electric Light System
Dimension: L=30,000 m.
Guided tours: L=1,000 m.
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address: Znojemské podzemí, Slepicí trh 2, 66901 Znojmo, Tel: +420-624-221342, 0624-222552, Fax 0624-222552. E-mail: contact E-mail: contact
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History


Description

Znojemské podzemí (Znojmo Cellars) are the most famous cellar system of the Czech Republic. We think this is not only a result of the fact, that they are actually the biggest system of cellars with some 30 kilometers of length and four different levels. It is also because they are used as a tourist attraction for many years now. Some 1,600 m of cellars are open to the public at the Slepicí trh (Chicken Market). The cellers are sometimes called Znojmo Catacombs, which is definitely wrong as there are no underground burials at Znojmo.

The system of underground structures is much too huge to be of private origin. However, its most intensive use was definitely as wine cellars. The area is a wine region and Znojmo is a center of wine trading. Also the citizens used the cellars to store all kind of agricultural products, especially food. The cellars which often were built independently, were later connected, the result is a true labyrinth.

There is a remarkable system of ventilation chimneys and a drainage system, and the cellars are also a source of water. When they cut through ground water bearing layers, the cellars could be used to collect ground water. Actually, the water quality below a Medieval city must have been rather poor. However, even this probem was - at least partly - solved by cellars: some passages were used for sewage.

On the east side of Slepici trh or the Chicken Market. Again, these were originally built for defensive purposes but later they were utilised as wine cellars. They are reputed to extend under most of the town.

These date back to the 14th century. They are reputed to be the longest catacombs in the Czech Republic which a total length of 30 km.


Text by Tony Oldham (2003). With kind permission.