Church of St. Thomas

Аdress: Moravske nam. 1, Brno

Church of St. Thomas {foto: Marie Schmerková}

This one-time Augustinian monastery was founded in 1350 by Margrave Jan Heinrich of Luxemburg, brother of Emperor Charles IV. The monastery church was designed to be the monumental resting-place of the Moravian rulers. During the Thirty Years' War it was seriously damaged, and the new baroque triple-aisled church of St. Thomas was built in 1665-75 according to the plans of Jan Křtitel Erna. Of the original contents of the church only the stone Pieta (1385) has survived, which is probably the work of Jindřich Parléř. The new late Baroque monastery complex was built according to the plans of Mořic Grimm.

The portal of the former monastery prelature - Místodržitelský (Governor's) Palace - with its busts of the monastery founder, the Moravian Margrave Jan Heinrich and his son Jošta, are the work of J.L.Weber and date from 1742-49. At present there is a permanent exhibition of art from the Moravian Gallery collection in the building. There is a plaque to commemorate the stays of Napoleon in Brno in 1805 and 1809.