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The church appears quite plain from the outside; however, the baroque interior is one of the most beautiful in Central Europe. One notable feature is a painting of an apparently pregnant Virgin Mary, quite rare in a Catholic church. It’s also possible to enter the old monastery attached to the side of the church and climb its bell tower.
Church of Saint Michael is a Roman Catholic church in Olomouc, Czech Republic. It is one of the most important landmarks of the city.
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It was constructed in the 15th century, but takes its present appearance from the 1950s, during a refurbishment to repair damage inflicted in World War II. Czechoslovakia was under Communist rule by then and the clock reflects the values of the day, the saints and angels being replaced by scientists, sportspeople and labourers. At noon the clock has a presentation that is unique to its structure and construction. There is one other astronomical clock in the Czech lands (in the other ancient capital, Prague), but as a surviving example of Socialist-Realism, the Olomouc Astronomical clock is unique world-wide. It is another popular rendezvous point in the city.
Kostel sv. Mořice
A beautifully preserved Gothic church dating from 1398. One of its highlights is the massive Engler organ, one of the largest in Europe. The organ is the focus of the international music festival in September/October and the Christmas Music festival every year. The tower of the church offers a magnificent 360-degree view over the city and countryside and is accessed via a graceful double-spiral staircase.
was built in the early 1700s and consecrated by the Empress Marie Theresa in 1754. With a height of 35 metres, it has dominated the Upper Square (Horní náměstí) ever since and was added to the UNESCO list of World Cultural Heritage in the year 2000. The column features sculptures of the Holy Trinity (predictably), the assumption of the Virgin Mary, all twelve apostles, three virtues and the most important saints of the Baroque period. The base of the column contains a small chapel with amazing acoustics and the raised pedestal is a very nice place to sit and eat lunch. It is one of the traditional rendezvous points in the city.
Moravské divadlo Olomouc
The theatre in the square is home to the Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as numerous musicals, operas, and plays. The price for tickets is difficult to beat. Be warned that the dialogue will usually be either in Czech or the original language.
Muzeum moderního umění
Museum of Modern Art is the pale grey Art Nouveau building across from the baroque Lady Mary of the Snows church. The permanent collection is okay, but the temporary exhibitions are often very interesting and well worth the entrance fee. There’s a small lookout tower at the top which is included in the entry price of the museum.
Vlastivědné Muzeum
The museum is housed in the former Clarisian convent on Náměstí Republiky (Republic Square). There are the usual collection of rocks and artifacts, and an interesting exhibit of the flora and fauna of the region, but probably the best things to see are in the old Olomouc section; woodcuts and prints from previous centuries, weapons, armour, traditional dress and many of the original religious figures from older versions of the astronomical clock.